nitude. It is provided, like fome others of this 
genus, with a large receptacle or internal pouch 
containing a peculiar fecretion or fluid of a black 
color and of a thickifh confiftence, and opening 
outwardly by a tubular foramen. When purfued it 
ejects a quantity of this fluid, which mixing with 
the furrounding water, is fuppofed to facilitate the 
efcape of the animal by concealing it from view. 
This liquor appears to have been ufed by the an¬ 
cients for the purpofe of ink. The fugacious Swam¬ 
merdam alfo declares himfelf of opinion that the 
celebrated compound formed by the Chinefe, and 
termed Indian ink, is no other than the 
before mentioned in an infpifiated Hate, 
with the addition of certain perfumes, &c. By 
others however it is affirmed that the liquor of the 
Loligo is not very convenient for the purpofe of an 
ink, and requires a confiderable degree of dexterity 
in its ufe. This perhaps may be the cafe with the 
recent liquor, but when dried and again ground or 
diflolved in water, it may become much more eafily 
manageable, and it ftiould feem that Swammerdam’s 
theory may be highly probable; more efpecially as 
Indian ink diflolved in water and kept in any confide¬ 
rable quantity, in the fpace of a few days acquires 
a very high degree of foetor, which clearly feems to 
indicate an animal fubftance. Like the reft of the 
Sepias, the Loligo is of a very predacious nature, and 
feeds on Shell-fifh and various Mollufca. Its ge¬ 
neral color is a reddifh brown : the eyes of a beau¬ 
tiful blue. It may not be improper to obferve that 
the different fpecies of this genus were the Polypi 
of 
commonly 
black fluid 
