266 CURIOUS CREATURES. 



the greatest difficulty that it could be dispatched with 

 the aid of a considerable number of three-pronged fish- 

 spears. The head of this animal was shewn to Lucullus ; 

 it was in size as large as a cask ol fifteen amphorae 

 (about 135 gallons), and had a beard (iti tentaculcv), to use 

 the expression of Trebius himself, which could hardly be 

 encircled with both arms, full of knots, like those upon 

 a club, and thirty feet in length ; the suckers, or cali- 

 cules, as large as an urn, resembled a basin in shape, 

 while the teeth again were of a corresponding large- 

 ness : its remains, which were carefully preserved as a 

 curiosity, weighed seven hundred pounds." 



Olaus Magnus says : " On the Coasts of Norway there 

 is a Polypus, or creature with many feet, which hath a 

 pipe on his back, whereby he puts to Sea, and he moves 

 that sometimes to the right, and sometimes to the left. 

 Moreover, with his Legs as it were by hollow places, 

 dispersed here and there, and by his Toothed Nippers, 

 he fastneth on every living Creature that comes near to 

 him, that wants blood. Whatever he eats he heaps up 

 in the holes where he resides : Then he casts out the 

 Skins, having eaten the flesh, and hunts after fishes 

 that swim to them : Also he casts out the shels, and 

 hard outsides of Crabs that remain. He changeth his 

 colour by the colour of the stone he sticks unto, especi- 

 ally when he is frighted at the sight of his Enemy, the 

 Conger. He hath 4 great middle feet, in all 8 ; a little 

 body, which the great feet make amends for. He hath 

 also some small feet that are shadowed and can scarce 

 be perceived. By these he sustains, moves, and defends 

 himself, and takes hold of what is from him : and he lies 

 on his back upon the stones, that he can scarce be gotten 

 off, onlesse you put some stinking smell to him." 



