66 HABITS OF THE CEPHALOPODA. 



II. Octopi of enormous size arc occasionally met with among 

 the islands of the Me'ia-co-shimah Group. I measured one, which 

 two men were bearing on their shoulders across a pole, and found 

 each brachium rather more than two feet long, giving the creature 

 the power of exploring an area of about twelve feet without 

 moving, taking the mouth for a central point, and the extremities 

 of the arms, to describe the circumference. Dorsal plates of 

 Sepiae, a foot and a half in length, are found strewing the beaches. 

 I have frequently observed the Sepiae and Octopi in full preda- 

 tory activity, and have had considerable trouble and difficulty in 

 securing them, so great is their restless vivacity at this time, and 

 so vigorous are their endeavors to escape. They dart from side 

 to side of the pools, or fix themselves so tenaciously to the 

 surface of the stones, by means of their sucker-like acetabula, 

 that it requires great force and strength to detach them. When 

 removed, and thrown upon the sand, they progress rapidly in a 

 sidelong, shuffling manner, extending their long arms, ejecting 

 their ink-like fluid in sudden, violent jets, and staring about with 

 their huge shining eyes, which at night are luminous, like a cat's, 

 in a very grotesque and hideous manner. ARTHUR ADAMS.* 



III. Sepiola Atlantica, Orb. Respecting this species, Mr. 

 Alder writes as follows from Menai Straits : " This is an odd 

 fish, crouching generally at the bottom, like a toad, with its great 

 goggle-eyes half-closed, and sometimes crawling along by means 

 of its suckers, puffing the water through the funnel all the time. 

 When it does take to swimming, it darts very quickly through 

 the water and is difficult to catch. When taken out of the water 

 and placed on the hand, it had recourse !o an odd mode of pro- 

 gression, t urn ing two or three somersaults in regular tumbler 

 fashion ; first laying hold with its arms, turning over, and laying 

 hold again, until it managed to get back into the water. f 



IV. I was much interested, on several occasions, bv watcliino- 

 the habits of an Octopus or cuttle-fish. Although common in 

 Hie pools of water left by the retiring tide, these animals were 



* "Zool. Voy. Samarauo-," p. 1, 1850. 

 t "Report Brit. Assoc.," 73, 1852. 



