360 CUTTLE, OR INK-FISH. 



sures more than a foot in diameter, and from its general appearance, 

 unless closely inspected, is often mistaken for a species of medusa, 

 or sea-blubber. 



A more remarkable species than either of the preceding, is the 

 eight-armed cuttle-fish, or sepia octopodia of Linnaeus. This ani- 

 mal has a short, oval body, surrounded at the upper part by an 

 expansile membrane, into the sides of which are inserted the arms; 

 which are of great length, beset on the inside with a double row of 

 suckers or holders, and are all of equal length, or without an addi- 

 tional long pair as in the two preceding species of this genus. The 

 eight-armed cuttle-fish, when at full growth, may be considered as a 

 very formidable animal, and possesses such a degree of strength as to 

 make it dangerous to attack it without great precaution. Such is 

 the ferocity and violence with which it defends itself, that even the 

 strongest mastiff can hardly subdue it without a long and doubtful 

 contest. It has even been known to attack a person while swim- 

 ming, and to fasten itself with dangerous force round the body and 

 limbs. It is supposed that there is something more than a mere 

 power of adhesion in the acetabula, or concave suckers or fasteners 

 with which the arms of this animal are beset ; something of an elec- 

 tric or galvanic nature; since the pain which their application causes 

 does not soon cease after the removal of the animal ; a kind of 

 stinging or urtication remaining for many hours; and long after this, 

 a troublesome irritation and itching. 



This species arrives at a very large size, being often seeu so large 

 that the body equals the size of a gourd, while the arms measure 

 from three to four feet in length, and from nine to twelve in circum- 

 ference, when spread out in the form of a star, which is a posture in 

 which the animal frequently places them. It resides in the deep 

 channels formed by large rocks, and is generally seen in pairs. The 

 male is said to wander about in quest of prey to a certain distance 

 from its recess, while the female rarely wanders from it. The eggs 

 of the eight-armed cuttle-fish are extremely numerous, and are dis- 

 posed in a kind of grape-like cluster : they are of a glassy trans- 

 parency, so that the young animal, as in those of the calamary, may 

 be seen in them long before the time of its exclusion. 



The sepise or cuttle-fishes in general, were often called by the 

 ancients by the title of polypi, on account of their numerous limbs : 



