20 
SEA MONSTERS UNMASKED. 
its lateral fins, — an exquisite play of colour occasionally 
taking place over its beautifully barred and mottled back. 
When thus tranquil, its eight pedal arms are usually 
brought close together, and droop in front of its head, like 
the trunk of an elephant, shortened ; its two longer tenta- 
cular arms being coiled up within their pouches and unseen. 
Only when some small fish approaches it does it arouse 
itself. Then, its eyes dilate, and its colours become more 
bright and vivid. It carefully takes aim, advancing or 
retreating to such a distance as will just allow the two 
hidden tentacles to reach the quarry when they shall be shot 
out. Next, the two highest or central feet are lifted up, 
and the three others on each side are spread aside, so that 
they may be all out of the way of the two concealed ten- 
tacles, presently to be launched forth ; and then, in a 
moment — so instantaneously that the eye of an observer, 
be he ever so watchful, can hardly see the act — this pair 
of tentacles, side by side, are projected and withdrawn, as 
if in a flash. The fish or shrimp has vanished, the suckers 
of the dilated ends of the tentacles having adhered to it, 
and left it, as they re-entered their pouches, within the fatal 
" cuddle," or embrace, where it is torn to pieces by the 
devouring beak.* This action of the tentacles of the 
decapods is the most rapid motion that I know of in the 
whole animal kingdom — not excepting even that of the 
* See an excellent article in the Field, Sept. 2, 1876, on the 'Ten 
Footed Cuttle ' {Sepia officinalis), by the late Mr. W. A. Lloyd, an 
earnest and accomplished aquatic zoologist ; eccentric, but in all that 
relates to the construction and management of an aquarium a master 
of his craft. It was his wish that in any future edition of my little 
book on the Octopus, or other writings on the cephalopods, I should 
use the woodcuts which illustrated his articles on Sepia and Octopus. 
By the kind permission of the proprietors of the Field, I reproduce 
them in suitable size for these pages. 
