8 
Os  Sepice. 
f  Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
\       Jan.,  1R75. 
frame-works  of  whose  bodies  are  bony.  This  "  fish-bone,"  which  is 
frequently  found  floating  in  the  Mediterranean  Sea,  and  in  much  greater 
quantity  on  the  shores  of  Australia,  is  of  an  oblong  oval  shape,  from 
three  to  ten  inches  long,  and  its  breadth  is  about  one-third  of  its  length, 
hard  upon  its  upper  surface  and  edges,  but  soft  on  its  lower  side,  both 
surfaces  being  convex  ;  its  specific  gravity  is  about  '935.  Its  composi- 
tion, though  calcareous,  is  quite  different  from  bone,  being  about  83  per 
cent,  of  carbonate  of  calcium,  with  some  magnesia  and  common  salt, 
and  but  little  animal  matter.  The  structure  of  the  bone  is  quite  pecu- 
liar, a  fresh  fracture,  when  examined,  shows  the  layers  of  the  calcium 
salt,  supported  by  pillars  of  the  same  material,  arranged  in  regular  rows, 
likened  by  Wood,  the  naturalist,  to  a  miniature  giant's  causeway. 
The  Sepia  officinalis^  for  this  is  the  title  of  the  fish  which  furnishes 
the  little  songsters  with  their  tiny  grindstones  whereon  to  whet  their 
bills,  belongs  to  the  class  Mollusca  and  order  Cephalopoda;  this  term 
alluding  to  the  feet  being  attached  close  to  the  head.  Its  generic  name 
Sepia  is  in  consequence  of  the  color  which  it  ejects  when  chased  or 
angered.  It  is  most  commonly  found  on  the  Australian  coast,  though 
most  of  the  commercial  supply  is  derived  from  Europe. 
The  various  names  of  Great  Polypus,  Colossal  Cuttle-fish,  Gigan- 
tic Squid,  Kraken,  Devil-fish,  &c.,  will  appear  to  be  well  deserved 
when  some  of  their  performances,  for  which  very  truthful  observers 
vouch,  are  narrated.  Montfort  has  described  their  habits  fully,  and 
shows  them  to  be  very  dangerous  and  disgusting,  even  when  so  small 
as  not  to  be  dreaded  for  their  size  and  strength ;  their  activity  and  deter- 
mination is  very  remarkable.  The  attack  of  one  upon  a  ship,  sailing  from 
St.  Malo,  a  seaport  in  France,  is  celebrated  by  a  painting,  hung  up  in 
the  church  of  St.  Thomas  in  that  city,  representing  the  vessel  with  the 
arms  of  the  fish  clasped  about  the  masts  and  sides  of  the  vessel 
which  was  only  freed  from  the  monster  by  the  vigorous  efforts  of  the 
crew  in  cutting  away  the  encircling  arms.  The  reader  must  remember, 
however,  that  the  Sepia  officinalis  are  not  to  be  held  answerable  for 
these  performances,  they  belong  to  other  branches  of  the  family ; 
the  smaller  members  are  generally  peacefully  inclined,  but  when 
irritated  they  become  exceedingly  annoying  to  those  who  molest  them. 
The  rocks  and  coast  of  Madagascar  is  shunned  by  the  natives  who  wish 
to  swim  on  account  of  the  rock  squids  fastening  upon  the  persons  of 
the  swimmers  with  their  suckers,  if  they  venture  too  near  the  shore. 
One  of  the  most  recent  accounts  which  appears  well  authenticated, 
