358 CUTTLE, OR INK-FISH. 



in the form of a triangle, and the lowest of the three is larger than 

 the rest. The eyes, which in this whole genus are remarkably large, 

 are covered, as in eels and some other fishes, by the common skin, 

 which is transparent in those parts. The pupil of the eye appears 

 double, and the internal cavity of the eye is lined with a purplish- 

 coloured mucus, which causes the eyes of the living animal to ap- 

 pear phosphoric, or fiery, in a high degree : the exterior coat or 

 ball of the eye is remarkably strong, so as to seem almost calca- 

 reous, and is, when taken out, of a brilliant pearl. colour ; and they 

 are worn in some particular parts of Italy, and in the Grecian 

 islands, by way of artificial pearls in necklaces. The cuttle-fish, 

 like the rest of its tribe, is of a predacious nature, and feeds on 

 fishes, shell-fish, and other marine animals, and is, no doubt, a 

 highly formidable adversary ; since it possesses the power of fasten- 

 ing itself so closely by the assistance of the suckers or cups of its 

 arms, that no animal, unless of very considerable size and strength, 

 can be supposed to liberate itself from its grasp. Its favourite re- 

 sidence is between the vacuities or clefts of submarine rocks, where 

 it is generally sure of meeting with plenty of food ; and, in defect of 

 which, in such situations, it occasionally sallies out into the ocean in 

 pursuit of prey. During these excursions, on the approach either 

 of danger to itself, or the more easily to prevent the escape of its 

 intended prey, it discharges, from the tubular orifice at the breast, a 

 quantity of the black fluid, with which it is always amply provided; 

 and thus obscures or darkens the water to a great distance round. 

 This practice of the cuttle-fish was well known to the ancients. Our 

 own celebrated countryman, Mr. Ray, draws from this circumstance 

 a singularly apposite and witty illustration ; aud observes that an 

 obscure and prolix author may not improperly be compared to a 

 cuttle-fish, since he may be said to hide himself under his own ink ! 

 The black liquor or ink of the cuttle fish, when collected, and dried, 

 splits or cracks into fragments, which being then ground down, and 

 redissolved in water, form an exquisite ink, of the most durable 

 blackness ; and the well-known Chinese preparation, commonly 

 called Indian-ink, is, in reality, supposed to be no other than the 

 concrete juice of the cuttle-fish, carefully managed, perfumed, and 

 at length formed into the ornamented cakes or masses in which we 

 receive it. I should here observe that all the species of the genus 

 sepia are provided with a similar fluid, which they use for similar 





