LIFE IN THE OCEAN WAVE. 327 



nothing but a big sea-slug, with a higher development 

 than the generality of molluscs. In fact, in the cuttles 

 we find the first approach to a brain and a skull, though 

 the former is insignificant, and the latter only gristle. 

 As to the eight arms of the creature, with their array of 

 suckers, they are easily to be accounted for. Most of 

 us have seen a snail crawling on glass, and noticed the 

 flat ' foot ' on which it glides. Now supposing this 

 foot to be cut into eight strips, and each strip to be 

 greatly elongated, it is evident that the holding power 

 of the foot would be gone, so in order to compensate 

 for this defect, each of the strips is furnished with 

 suckers, sometimes in a single, and sometimes in a 

 double row. All the stories that have been told about 

 its power of leaving the water and attacking men on shore 

 are as absurdly false as the old fable of the sailing 

 nautilus which, by the way, we lately saw reproduced 

 in two modern illustrated books. 



The cuttles in the aquarium have a great dislike to 

 showing themselves, and generally spend their time in 

 the rock crannies, where they cannot be seen. The 

 large octopus had, on the occasion of our visit, been 

 (pace Mr. Lloyd) sulky for weeks, and never would 

 come out of his den, showing nothing but the tips of 

 one or two arms writhing about the entrance of his 

 home. However, as if conscious that he was going into 

 print, he gallantly came out and exhibited all his 

 points, just as if he had been a trained cuttle going 

 through all his performances. First he slowly emerged 



