134 
LECTURE X. 
A more remarkable species than either of the 
preceding is the Eight-Armed Cuttle-Fish, or Se- 
pia Octopodia of Linnaeus. This animal has a 
short, oval body, surrounded at the upper part by 
an expansile membrane, into the sides of which 
are inserted the arms, which are of great length, 
beset on the inside with a double row of suckers 
or holders, and are all of equal length, or without 
an additional long pair as in the two preceding 
species of this genus. The eight-armed Cuttle- 
Fish, when at full growth, may be considered as a 
very formidable animal, and possesses such a de- 
gree of strength as to make it dangerous to attack 
it without great precaution. Such is the ferocity 
and violence with which it defends itself, that even 
the strongest Mastiff can hardly subdue it without 
a long and doubtful contest. It has even been 
known to attack a person while swimming, and to 
fasten itself with dangerous force round the body 
and limbs. It is supposed that there is something 
more than a mere power of adhesion in the aceta- 
bula or concave suckers or fasteners with which 
the arms of this animal are beset j something of 
an electric or galvanic natuie 3 since the pain which 
their application causes does not soon cease after 
