248 LIFE, IN ITS INTERMEDIATE FORMS. 



A curious circumstance in the economy of these crea- 

 tures is the secretion of a peculiar fluid of a most intense 

 blackness, lodged in a vessel, variously situated in different 

 species, and spouted out at the will of the animal. This 

 substance, frequently called ink, from the use to which it 

 was anciently applied, mixes freely with the water, dif- 

 fusing an impenetrable obscurity for some distance around, 

 by which the animal often escapes from danger ; thus, as 

 our illustrious Ray wittily remarked, hiding itself, like an 

 obscure or prolix author, under its own ink. 



And lest any of our readers should slily add " ecce 

 signum!" we will say no more about the Mollusca at this 

 present. 



