THE STAR FISH. 



Officinal cuttle fish Eight-armed ditto. 



dragged out of the water, they make a noise 

 somewhat like the grunting of a hog. 



The officinal cuttle fish was in great esteem by 

 the ancients as food, and it is even yet used as 

 such by the Italians. The bone in the back, 

 when dried and pulverised, is employed by silver- 

 smiths for moulds, in which they cast their small 

 work, as spoons, rings, 8cc. It is also convert- 

 ed into that useful article of stationary called 

 pounce. 



The eight-armed cuttle fish of the hot climates 

 sometimes becomes of such a size as to measure 

 twelve feet across its centre, and to have each 

 of its arms between forty and fifty feet long. 

 When the Indians go out in their canoes in 

 places frequented by these cuttle fish, they are 

 always in dread of their flinging their arms over 

 and sinking them ; on which account they are 

 careful to take with them an ax to cut their arms 

 off. 



THE STAR FISH, or SEA STAR, 



ARE usually found on the sand, or among the 

 rocks on the sea shore, considerably below high- 

 water mark. Their covering is a coriaceous 

 crust, which defends them from the attacks of 

 the smaller animals ; and they have five or mor.e 

 rays proceeding from a centre in which their 

 mouth is situated. Every ray is furnished with a 



VOL. v. NO. 37. 2 9 



