THE SHELL-FISH OF THE COAST. 13 



This habit appears to account for the numbers fre- 

 quently found stranded at the time of full moon, the 

 animal, while gazing at the luminary, incautiously 

 swimming backward 

 and befouling itself 

 on the sands. 



A word or two 

 about the cuttle-bone. 

 We frequently hear 

 of this substance in 

 connection with the 

 keeping of canary- 

 birds, but probably 

 there are not many 

 who associate it with 

 a creature at all re- 



SEPIOLA ATLANTIC a. , ,. . , 



sembhng our squid. 

 If we slice open the back of our animal, 

 or that side which lies opposite to the 

 funnel, we observe embedded within 

 the flesh a long, horny style, which is 

 usually designated the 'gladius' or pen. 

 It may be said to constitute a sort of in- 

 ternal skeleton, giving a certain amount 

 of rigidity to the body; but its exact 

 functions are not known. In some of the sqdid!' 

 cuttle-fishes, notably those which have re- 

 ceived the name of sepia, the gladius is replaced by 

 a limy plate, which is in reality the cuttle-' bone' 

 of the canary-bird cage. 



It may be your good fortune in walking along 

 the beach to stumble upon a very beautiful and 

 2 



