. The naturalist's library; containing scientific and popular descriptions of man, quadrupeds, birds, fishes, reptiles and insects; . rousanimals, especially fishes and birds, and to man himself. The savage tribeswhich live along the coast, in many parts of the world, employ them muchas an article of food. Even in civilized countries, the mollusca frequentlyform a considerable portion of sustenance, although in general they are nei-ther very pleasant nor wholesome. The cuttle-fish furnishes a fluid from 64 758 MOLLUSC A—CUTTLE-FISH. which tne pigment called China ink is procured; and the ancie
. The naturalist's library; containing scientific and popular descriptions of man, quadrupeds, birds, fishes, reptiles and insects; . rousanimals, especially fishes and birds, and to man himself. The savage tribeswhich live along the coast, in many parts of the world, employ them muchas an article of food. Even in civilized countries, the mollusca frequentlyform a considerable portion of sustenance, although in general they are nei-ther very pleasant nor wholesome. The cuttle-fish furnishes a fluid from 64 758 MOLLUSC A—CUTTLE-FISH. which tne pigment called China ink is procured; and the ancients extractedthe beautiful purple color, with which the garments of their princes andnobles were dyed, from certain species of purpura, inhabiting the coast ofTyre. ORDER II. —CEPHALOPODA. These animals are distinguished by having a mantle in the form of a aag,containing the lower part of the body; head protruding from the bag,crowned with inarticulated arms, furnished with cups or suckers, and sui-rounding the mouth ; two sessile eyes; mouth with two horny mandibles;three hearts; the sexes separate. THE GREAT This singular creature, which is about two feet long, has eight arms orclaws, furnished on the interior side with little round serrated cups, by thecontraction of which the animal lays fast hold of any thing that comes in itsway. Besides these eight arms, it has two tentacula, four times longer thanthe preceding, and also pedunculated. When the suckers adhere to anything, it is very difficult to loosen their hold. The mouth is situated in thecentre, and is horny and hooked, like the bill of a parrot. It is so strongthat the animal can break to pieces the shells of limpets and of othermarine, testaceous creatures on which it feeds. The eyes are below, andsurrounded with several silvery rings; they are as large as the eyes of a?alf, but are very prominent, and rather resemble the eyes of a crab. The 1 Sepia officinalis; Lamabck. The genus Sepia has the bo
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1850, bookidnaturalistsl, bookyear1851
