inferior magnitude. Like the rest of its tribe, it is of 
a predacious nature, feeding on fishes and various 
other marine animals, and differs from every other 
species of Sepia yet discovered in the extraordinary 
envelopement of its body, which is covered by an 
ample, inflated, and transparent skin or membrane, 
reflected from the upper parts, and continued to the 
commencement of the tail or terminal part of the 
hod} - . This membrane is reticulated or decussated 
by numerous dark-coloured fibres, crossing each 
other at certain distances, and is tinged externally 
with iridescent hues, like that of the Sipunculus 
saccatus. 
The figure here given is taken from the work of 
the ingenious Mons. Denys-Montfort, who imagines 
this species to he the archetype of the imaginary 
piscis reticulatus of Aldrovandus, in which the body 
of the animal is represented like that of a real fish, 
with scales, fins, teeth, &c. I may venture to add, 
that it is not impossible hut that some hasty and 
inaccurate drawing and description of this same 
species of Sepia may have also given rise to the 
piscis reversus of Aldrovandus, which is described 
as having a body not unlike that of an eel, with,a 
vast inflated hag or pouch on the head, with which 
it is said to seize on such fishes as happen to swim 
near it, and to he employed by the South-American 
Indians for that purpose; being carried in a canoq^ 
and lowered to a certain depth into the sea, till it 
has taken its prize. Aldrovandus represents it in 
the act of drawing up a large seal. 
