MOLLU3CA. 61 



FIRST ORDER. 

 CEPHALOPODA. 



This class is composed of mollusca of rather fantastical 

 shapes. Their round, thick bodies being enclosed in a 

 kind of sack-like mantle, out of which the head, fur- 

 nished with two large eyes, is distinguishable. The 

 mouth, which much resembles the beak of a parrot, is 

 the organ by which they take and hold their prey, and 

 around this opening are a number of flexible and fleshy 

 appendages, like arms, of which two are mostly longer 

 than the rest. On these arms are found suckers not 

 unlike cupping-glasses, by which they fasten themselves 

 on their prey while they feed upon it. When the head 

 is drawn back, the creature is entirely enveloped in the 

 mantle, the tentacula only appearing. They have also, 

 under this mantle, one bone, which, externally, is very 

 hard, but inside is perfectly soft. Many of this class are 

 furnished with shells, which, however, cover but a small 

 portion of the body. They have also within the cavity 

 of the abdomen, a kind of pouch connecting with glands 

 Avhich secrete an ink-like fluid ; this fluid, the animal 

 has the power of ejecting at pleasure, and when in danger 

 or approaching its prey, pours it out so abundantly as to 

 discolor the water, and render itself invisible. This is a 

 maneuver imitated by men in various ways. 



The Cuttle Fish Ink Snail (sepia officinalis), plate 

 26, fig. 3, is a span long ; the body about as thick as an 

 arm, with eight small, and two large arms. The white 

 fish bone (os sepias) used in the arts as a pounce and for 

 polishing, is produced by this animal, which is found in all 



