478 THE OCEAN WORLD. 
rocks. The old cuttle-fish is only found in rugged and rocky places, 
bristling with naked, pointed rocks, which have been worn by the 
waves, but generally in places only a few feet below the level of low 
water. ‘“ How often,” says d’Orbigny, “have we not observed the 
cuttle-fish in his favourite retirement! There, with one of his arms 
clasped to the walls of its dwelling, it extends the other towards the 
animals which pass at its gate, embraces them, and by its power 
renders useless all their efforts to disengage themselves.” 
If we observe a cuttle-fish when it is what may be called walking, 
either on land or at the bottom of the sea, it will be seen to walk on 
one side, its head downwards, its mouth touching the ground, the 
arms extending and grappling some supporting object, and drawing 
the body forward ; at the same time the arms at the opposite side are 
contracted and folded up, so as to assist by a contrary movement. 
On shore the movement of these animals is very slow. On the other 
hand, they swim very rapidly, assisted by all their arms, and aided by 
the water ejected from the funnel, their movement being most 
frequently backwards, the body first, the six superior arms placed 
horizontally, the two ethers brought together above: the first help to 
sustain them in their horizontal position, the last to guide them, in- 
clining to the right or left as the animal changes its direction. 
The cuttle-fishes feed on crustaceans, fishes, and also on shelled 
molluscs—every kind of animal, in fact, which comes within their 
reach; so that it is readily taken by means of the flesh of fish or 
crustaceans in which a strong hook is concealed. They live for five 
or six years, and lay eggs, which are large, and generally found in 
clusters ; fishermen know them under the name of sea-grapes. 
Like some of the lower animals, they possess the property of re- 
integration, being able to reproduce any arm that may be destroyed. 
There is another singular peculiarity which the cuttle-fish may be 
said to share with man. Under the influence of strong emotion the 
human face becomes pale, or blushes, and in some individuals it is 
said to become blue. This has always been supposed to be an 
attribute of humanity; but the cuttle-fish shares it with our race. 
Yielding to the impressions of the moment, the cuttle-fish suddenly 
changes colour, and, passing through various tints, it only resumes 
its familiar one when the cause of the change has disappeared. They 
are, in fact, gifted with great sensibility, which reacts immediately 
upon their tissues, these being extremely elastic and delicate. Sudden 
changes of colour are produced—changes which far exceed the same 
phenomena in man. Under the influence of passion or emotion, 
man is born to blush, but under no sort of excitement does he cover 
