134 LECTURE X. 



A more remarkable species than either of the 

 preceding is the Eight- Armed Cut tie-Fish, or Se- 

 j)ia Octopodia of Linnaeus. This animal 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 additional 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 de- 

 gree 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 swimming, 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 aceta- 

 bula or concave suckers or fasteners with which 

 the arms of this animal are beset ; something of 

 an electric or galvanic nattue ; since the pain which 

 their application causes does not soon cease after 



