426 THE ZOOLOGIST. 
The event of my month at Prussia Cove, however, was the capture 
of an Octopus, O. vulgaris, in my trammel on August 24th. It 
was brought in alive and placed by my people in a “ pill.” It was 
about three feet and a half long over all, and about six pounds 
weight. I took it out and showed it to some friends, and whilst 
doing so two or three of its arms (with their 240 suckers each) 
were twined closely around my right hand and fore arm. I felt 
nothing more than a strong sucking action, and after about five 
minutes I put the creature into another and larger “ pill,” in which 
it swam about with a most graceful action until it found a hole 
under a large stone, into which it crept, arms foremost, and, turning 
round and using its suckers as hands, it lifted or handed out 
several large stones, one of nearly three pounds weight, and made 
a sort of nest for itself, and there rested until the coming tide 
enabled it to escape. This creature has no backbone (none at 
least perceptible to the touch), and I judge, and am told, that it 
has no sepia-bag. Under all the rough treatment which it received 
it never “squirted ink,” although it constantly ejected water. Its 
respiratory tubes were very interesting. There were two on each 
side, and it could apparently work them at pleasure, but the expi- 
ration was always performed by those on one side and the inspi- 
ration by those on the other. This was whilst the animal was at 
rest. Whilst swimming I think all four tubes were at work, and 
that the force which propelled it, tail foremost through the water, 
was derived from the gentle injection and forcible (by muscular 
power) ejection of water through them. About two hours after I 
had handled this beast I felt a numbness in the little finger of my 
right hand, as if I had hit my funny-bone. This increased until in 
about twelve hours my arm was numbed to the shoulder, On the 
next day it was worse, and I could not use it at all. Since that 
time (now ten days ago) it has been gradually recovering, and [ 
can now write. I have no pain, but only a sensation of numbness 
and want of power, my general health not being affected. 
Since writing the above I have had brought to me from Prussia 
Cove a specimen of Pennant’s Globe-fish, Jetraodon stellatus, found 
dead on the beach there after a gale of wind. It is remarkable 
that more than half of the few recorded instances of the occurrence 
of this fish have happened between the Lizard and Trevose Head. 
I may also mention the Nipper Crab, Polybius Henslowii, as not 
uncommon at Prussia Cove, although I obtained none this year, 
