346 



SEA MONSTERS UNMASKED. 



power (Fig. 4). "At the extremity of the long tentacles a 

 cluster of small, simple, unarmed 

 suckers may be observed at the 

 base of the expanded part. When 

 these latter suckers are applied to 

 one another the tentacles are se- 

 curely locked together at that part, 

 and the united strength of both the 

 elongated peduncles can be applied 

 to drag towards the mouth any 

 resisting object which has been 

 grappled by the terminal hooks. 

 There is no mechanical contrivance 

 which surpasses this structure ; art 

 has remotely imitated it in the 

 fabrication of the obstetrical for- 

 ceps, in which either blade can be 

 / H\ used separately, or, by the inter- 

 locking of a temporary blade, be 

 made to act in combination." 



The cephalopods obtain and eat 

 their food very much like the rapa- 

 cious birds. They are the falcons 

 of the sea. Some of them, like 

 OnychoteuthiS) strike their prey with 

 talons and suckers also, others lay 

 hold of it with suckers alone ; but 

 they all tear the flesh with their 

 beaks, and swallow and digest their 

 food in the same manner as the 

 1 ' hawk or vulture. 



FIG. 4. HOOKED TENTACLES . 



OF Onychoteuthis. The Sepia, the owner of the 



broad, flattened bone, has a decided predilection for the 



