MEDTTSA. 163 



this genus, is the Sepia OctopoJia, the Eight-armed 

 Cuttle-fish. The body is of a -short oval form, and the 

 eight arms are equal, and about three feet in length. 



These Cuttle-fish are generally found in pairs, in some 

 deep pool of the ocean. The female is very stationary, 

 but the male often issues forth in search of prey. When 

 full grown, it possesses great fierceness and strength, and 

 will contend for victory with a powerful mastiff. It has 

 been known to attack a person swimming, and to adhere to 

 him with dangerous force ; it is supposed to possess an 

 electrical power iir its suckers, from the painful and 

 prolonged sensation they occasion. The eggs of this 

 species are very numerous, and disposed in a grape-like 

 form ; they are transparent like those of the calamary. 



Many marvellous stories are related of this animal, from 

 which it would appear certain that there is, in the Indian 

 seas, some gigantic species of cuttle-fish, capable of doing 

 much mischief. Among these accounts we may probably 

 place the fabulous stories of the Northern Kraken. 



THE MEDUSA. PULMO, 



Is a large species, found in many of the European seas, 

 and especially on the Italian and Sicilian shores. Its 

 diameter measures two feet ; the form of its body is hemi- 

 spherical, concave beneath, slightly scalloped at the edge, 

 and furnished beneath with a very curious apparatus, 

 consisting of a main trunk, separating into eight central 

 lobes, which end in as many subtriangular processes. 

 The whole is of glossy transparency, and much resembles 

 a lustre, or chandelier. 



THE MEDUSA CAMPANELLA 



Is less than an inch in diameter, and very concave ; it is 

 furnished beneath with a hollow tube, and four processes 

 rounded at their extremities ; round the edge of the body 

 are numerous tapering tentacula. In the British coasts we 

 find commonly a very elegant Medusa, with a circular body 



