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 Eay 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. 
