W> IIAF51TS OF THE f'KF'll A Lol'ODA. 



II. Octopi of enormous si/.e are occasionally met with among 

 the islands of the Meia-co-shimah (iron]). I measured one. which 

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

 each brachiimi r;it her more t h;iii 1 wo 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 ext rein i ties 

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

 Sepise, a foot and a half in length, are found strewing the benches. 

 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, eject ing 

 their ink-like fluid in sudden, violent jets. and sin ring about with 

 their huge shining eyes, which at night are luminous, like a eat X 

 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 MM 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, pulling 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 to an odd mode of pro- 

 grcssion. turning two or three somersaults in regular tumbler 

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

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



IV. I was much interested, on several occasions, by watching 

 the habits of an Octopus or cntt le-tish. Although common in 

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



* "Zool. Voy. Baananuog," p. 1, 1850. 

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



