IIAUITS OK TIIK CKI'IIALOI'ODA. 65 



two minutes after it had been captured by that animal, was 

 already (lend, although apparently uninjured either externally <>i l 

 infernally. 



The debris of I he victims of the I'oulpc. sncli as shells, cara- 

 paces of crustaceans, etc., accumulates in front- of his retreat, 

 which it serves to cover. The animal seizes portions of these 

 by I he suckers towards the base of his arms, and with them 

 shields his body, only revealing the watchful eyes the anus 

 bciiiir thrown back on each side of his body. 



A I'oulpe may eat several shells and a crab daily, but if his 

 supply fails, he will support an abstinence of some days. 



The epidermis of the cups renews itself unceasingly, and is 

 detached in entirety above all after a meal. The water is filled 

 with little transparent bodies in form like umbrellas, of which 

 the disks are rayed these are the rejected skins. 



The slow movements of the Poulpc are very strange ; it ele- 

 vates its body and walks nlonjr on the recurved points of its 

 arms, and without the assistance of iis siphon. .IJut in a lar^e 

 basin the I'oulpc swims readily and without the awkwardness 

 which I before remarked of its movements in an aquarium. Its 

 rapid swimming is always retrograde; its body and arms main- 

 tain a horizontal position, the hitter remaining absolutely passive ; 

 1 he siphon alone beino- used. 



When the I'oulpc swims, its color is a little different from that 

 which it possesses when in repose, and I luive frequently re- 

 marked a colored longitudinal ray start in.u; from behind the eyes. 



I have been a witness only once to the forward swimming of a 

 Poulpe; it progressed very slowly, in truth. The arms, divided 

 into two symmetrical bundles, were turned back on the body. 

 This position is very unfavorable to swimming; the resistance of 

 the water is much greater, and one can readily comprehend that 

 the animal would use it rarely. 



The number of respirat ions is variable, but much inferior to 

 that of the Sepias: it averages from thirty to fifty in a minute. 

 It is probable ilia! in the sea the I'oulpe respires much more 

 slowly. In the aquarium respiration is accelerated by the vitia- 

 tion of the water.* 



* Fischer, Ann. Sci. Nat., 5 ser., viii, 97-104, 1867. 





