PARTS OF ANIMALS, IV. ix. 



in performing their duty. In the Octopuses, however, 

 the four middle feet are the biggest. 



And although all these creatures have eight feet, 

 the Sepia's and the Calamary's are short ones, since 

 their bodies are large in the trunk, and the Octopus's 

 feet are long, because his body is small. Thus in 

 one case the substance which she took from the body 

 Nature has given towards lengthening the feet, and 

 in the other she has taken away from the feet and 

 made the body itself bigger. Hence it results that 

 the Octopuses have feet Λvhich will serve them for 

 walking as weW as for swimming, whereas the other 

 creatures' feet λλΊΙΙ not do so, being small, while the 

 body itself is big. And inasmuch as these creatures' 

 feet are short, and useless for holding on tightly to 

 the rock in a storm when there is a strong sea running, 

 or for bringing to the mouth objects that are at a 

 distance, by way of compensation they have two long 

 probosces, with which during a storm they moor 

 themselves up and ride at anchor hke a ship ; there- 

 with also they hunt distant prey and bring it to their 

 mouths. These things the Sepias and Calamaries 

 do. The Octopuses have no probosces because their 

 feet serve these purposes. Some creatures have 

 suckers and tΛvining tentacles as Avell as feet : these 

 have the same character and function as Λvell as the 

 same structure as those plaited tubes which the early 

 physicians used for reducing dislocated fingers." They 

 are similarly made out of plaited fibres, and their 



reduction, if you make extension of the finger both ways, 

 grasping the tube at one end and the wrist at the other." 

 The σαύρα was thus a tube open at both ends. A similar 

 passage in Diodes ap. Apollonius of Kitium, no doubt taken 

 from Hippocrates, refers to " the aeipai which children plait " 

 (L.C.L. iii. 453). 



361 



