SHELLS AND MOLLUSCOUS ANIMALS. 231 



subtle and craftie, in this point, those creatures be, 

 which are otherwise most sottish and senselesse." 

 Alas ! for these old romances, they have all passed 

 away as the light of science has increased, and we 

 must be content to believe that the marvels per- 

 formed by the cuttle-fish, are wrought rather by 

 dint of his strong arms than his cunning head. 



None of the Cephalopods are, in our seas, dangerous 

 to man, but the natives of the shores of the Indian 

 seas have good reason to regard them with dread, 

 never going out in a boat without providing them- 

 selves with an axe, by which they may cut away 

 their formidable arms. Even on the shores of 



CUTTLE-FISH (Sepia officinalis.) 



Sicily, Mr. Swainson saw cuttle-fish, two of which 

 would be a good load, their arms being as thick 

 as those of a man ; and in the hotter latitudes, 

 gigantic creatures of this family spread terror 



