236 ISLES OF SUMMER. 
of sub-marine warfare. Thecoloring. matter of its “ink” is very 
indestructible, and has been handed down with fossils from a far 
distant geologic age. In making sepia paint it was formerly 
utilized. The cuttle fish isa kind of sea acrobat, and frequently 
walks by the aid of its arms upon the bottom of the sea, not ex- 
actly upon its head, but head downwards. When troubled, its 
arms enable it also, while in a perpendicular position, to swim 
through the water. 
The integument of the cuttle fish consists of several layers, 
one of which (corresponding to the lowest layer of the epider- 
mis) contains numerous large cells which are filled with pigment 
granules; and the expansion and contraction of these cells causes 
the marvelous play of changing colors, which the cuttle fish ex- 
hibits when excited. 
A gentleman who was recently gathering algae in the harbor 
of Nassau, unintentionally shook hands with a cuttle fish which 
was clinging to arock in the water. He mistook it for a rare 
marine plant, and experienced considerable difficulty in inducing 
his new piscatory acquaintance to let go. The latter was finally 
_disabled and captured. Weare informed that another species of 
the cuttle fish is found near Nassau. 
The star fish and other members of the family of radiates are 
found in the waters of the Bahamas. 
Mr. Sargeant, in giving some account of the Bahama fish, says: 
“The hound fish are shaped very much like an eel, for which 
it isa good substitute. It is semi-transparent, with bones re- 
sembling light blue glass thread. Its snout or billis often eight 
or ten inches long, slim and sharp, with a row of teeth running 
the entire length on either side. The maray and stingray are a 
species of the eel. The whipray has a body shaped like a floun- 
der, with a tail often ten fect long, tapering from about one inch 
in diameter at the butt, to one-eighth of an inch at the small end, 
