'' I IIAHITS <iT TIIK < KI'IIAI,oI'o|>A. 



The variations of i'onn of !he siphon .-ire indisputable. and 

 one canno, doub: their influence upon ;he direc.inn ciken by the 

 :iniin:il. Inn ! he marginal fins .-ire n<>; less useful: their undula- 

 fions commencing :ni eriorly when ihe :inini:il moves forward. 

 Mini posteriorly in backward inoveineni : they eh:inv suddenly 

 aa ;he dii-eetion may be varied. The same fads were reni:irkel 

 wiih regard to the ( 'alamary. 



ix. During 1SC>7 I had the oppon unity of 

 siudyinii' seven individuals, of which three were preU v i:irLv. 

 One of these quit his dwelling to explore the hole occupied bv 

 another, who irritntcd. ch:nircd color ;ind ende:i\oi-ed to sei/e 

 ihe intruder with one of Ihe arms of his second pair. P>ul 

 whether the cups failed ;<> adhere to the liody. <>r wheiher the 

 Poulpes possessi'il the means of disembaraSSJng llieinselves. the 

 <-onil)at did not become sei'ious. 



The second pair of arms (which arc '.he most eloit. rve 



ju-incipally for attack or defense: those of ihe first pair are 

 niosily enijdoyed in exploration; they ji'lide al)oui amonu' the 

 rocks, and if they come in contact wit h food, dra w ii towards the 

 month. 



"I' he Ponlpc moves but little dnrino- the day; he execn 

 sometimes, a very singular mamenvre: his arms make ra|>id 

 worm-like movements, writhing nnd twistin her. 



The variations of color occur occ-isionally without apparent 

 cause. I have seen, bn! only once, a I'oulpc present a deep 

 \inous color upon nne-half of its head and sack, whilst the 

 Other half preserved a pale grayish iini. When the body be- 

 comes t ubercnlaied. a sluirp tubercle may be seen a', the 

 ex) remity of the snck. 



Tlie Pouljies are very voracious. They were uiven daily a 

 (lii:uiti-y of Cunliinn nlnjr. which they sei/ed and held cloSi 

 theii- mouth. conceale(l under t he int erbi'acliial membi-aiie at the 

 lia-c of the ai'ms. A f -er a variabU> |)eriod. but little surpassing 

 an hour in duration. ' hey re)eeie<l the vrdvcs. ojiened. and con- 

 1. 'lining only some remains of the mollusk. These valves were 

 perfectly intaci ; one could not perceive any frac lire or trace of 

 teeth; the Ponlpcs ihen j- -imc means <.f causing their 



\ i<-i im to i-el;i or iniiscU-s and open its shell perhaps 



the victim is asphyxiated. A crab taken from a Poiilpc one or 



