SEPIA OFFICINALIS. 137 



The Officinal Cuttle, or Cuttle-fish as it is improperly called, is 

 found in the Mediterranean and European seas. It is the species 

 which furnishes the cuttle-bone of the shops. The body or tunic 

 is destitute of any appendages, smooth, oval, fleshy, and a foot or 

 rather more in length. On the summit of the head there is a flat- 

 tened disc, in the centre of which is seated the mouth. Round the 

 margin of this oval disc are placed the arms or tentacula, which are 

 eight in number, of a conical shape, and beset on their central 

 aspect with numerous suckers, by which the animal is enabled to 

 fix itself to different substances, and to seize its prey. Between this 

 circle of arms, and the tunic or sac, there are situated two pedun- 

 culated organs, considerably longer than the body, terminating in a 

 broad oblong expansion also covered with suckers. These pedun- 

 culated bodies have generally been regarded as feet, and like the 

 tentacula, are capable of being moved, at the will of the animal, in 

 every direction, and are the organs by which progressive motion is 

 performed. In the space between the head and tunic in front, 

 there is an opening with a projecting aperture, which communicates 

 with the cavity of the sac, and serves to convey water to the gills and 

 to carry oft' the different secreted matters. The skin of the tunic is 

 smooth, of a lead grey colour, and variegated with purple spots. 

 The eyes are large, and seated one on each side of the head. The 

 sac is furnished on each side with a narrow fin, and strengthened 

 on the back by a calcareous plate, lodged in a peculiar cavity. This 

 plate has long been known under the name of cuttle-fish bone. It 

 is of an oval shape, convex on both sides, and thickest in the mid- 

 dle. According to Dr. Fleming, it consists of three central laminae, 

 arranged parallel to one another. The officinal cuttle inhabits the 

 British seas ; and although seldom taken, the bone is frequently 

 cast ashore on different parts of the coast. 



Properties and Uses. — The term bone has been improperly 

 applied to the dorsal plate of the Cuttle; for, according to the 

 experiments of Mr. Hatchett, its composition is exactly similar to 

 shell, and consists of various membranes hardened by carbonate of 

 lime, without the smallest portion of phosphate. It was formerly 

 much prized as an absorbent for correcting acidities in the digestive 

 organs, and is still used as a dentifrice ; but it is principally sought 



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