24 
SEA MONSTERS UNMASKED. 
parent, gelatinous, slender, cylindrical sheaths, about four 
or five inches long, each containing many ova imbedded 
in it (making a total number of about 40,000 embryos), all 
springing from a common centre and resembling a mop 
without a handle. I have never seen any of these " sea- 
mops " attached to anything, and the pelagic habits of the 
calamaries render it probable that they are left floating on 
the surface of the sea. 
Having made ourselves acquainted with the structure 
and habits of these three divisions of the eight-footed and 
ten-footed moUusks, let us take evidence as to the size to 
which they are respectively known to attain, and the degree 
in which they may be regarded as dangerous to man. 
An octopus from our own coasts having arms two feet in 
length may be considered a rather large specimen ; and 
Dr. J. E. Gray, who was always most kindly ready to place 
at the disposal of any sincere inquirer the vast store of 
knowledge laid up in his wonderful memory, told me that 
there is not one in the British Museum which exceeds 
this size, or which would not go into a quart pot — body, 
arms and all." The largest British specimen I have hitherto 
seen had arms 2 ft. 6 in. long. We have sufficient evidence, 
however, that it exceeds this in the South of France, and 
along the Spanish and Italian coasts of the Mediterranean ; 
and my deceased friend John Keast Lord tells us in his 
book, *The Naturalist in British Columbia,' that he saw 
and measured, in Vancouver's Island, an octopus which 
had arms five feet long. 
I have often been asked whether an octopus of 
the ordinary size can really be dangerous to bathers. 
Decidedly, "Yes," in certain situations. The holding 
power of its numerous suckers is enormous. It is 
almost impossible forcibly to detach it from its adhesion 
