138 LECTURE X. 



doubted; and though some accounts may 

 been much exaggerated, yet there is sufficient 

 cause for believing that such species very far sur- 

 pass all that are generally observable about the 

 coasts of the European seas. A modern natura- 

 list chooses to distinguish this tremendous species 

 by the title of the Colossal Cattle-Fish, and seems 

 amply disposed to believe all that has been re- 

 lated of its ravages. A northern navigator of the 

 name of Dens is said some years ago to have lost 

 three of his men in the African seas, by a monster 

 of this kind, which unexpectedly made its appear- 

 ance while these men were employed, during a 

 calm, in raking the sides of the vessel. The Colos- 

 sal Cuttle-Fish seized these men in its arms, and 

 drew them under water, in spite of every effort to 

 preserve them : the thickness of one of the armsr 

 which was cut off in the contest was that of a mi- 

 zen-mast, and the acetabula or suckers of the size 

 of pot-lids. 



But what shall we say to the idea of a modern 

 French naturalist, who is inclined to suppose, that 

 the destruction of the great French ship the Ville 

 de Paris, taken by the English during the Ameri- 

 can war, together with nine other ships which 



