, 1873-06-01

Il is Vital question to us all, and must b
| answered: II. Il.
THE DEViL-FlSH.
or Fiction ana Of Fact.
| Mr.. Henry Lee, r. L. g., comparing the de-
scription OF the octopus by Victor Hugo in bis
| Irapaineurs de Ia 1t1:, writes in Land ant
1pater: " In his relation OF the manner in whict
| the octopus captures its prey the novelist Is
substantially in accord with nature. The points
on which he chiefly errs are : 1. Tho structure,
nse; capability, and effect on its victim of it's
arms and suckers: q Its general organization.
3: 1ts mode OF progression when swimming. 4.
The manner in which it devours and digests It's
food. Tho arms Of the octopus are not used
as weapons OF constriotion, compression,
or sufrocation. They are eight radiating,
supple, tapering thongs, in ordinary specimens
about eighteen inches long, on each OF which
are mounted, in n double row, numerous suck
Ing disks, which decrease in size toward the tip
Of the limbs, and act as so many dry cupping-
g1asses. There are normally about $40 OF these
suckers On each arm, making = total Of about
1920. I hare counted more in son1e individuals.
II. Hugo gives their number as $50 on each
arm, 400 in all" 30 On this point he very much
understates his case. The cups themselves; by
their internal mechanism for air-e1hnustion, and
consequent pressure OF the outer atmosphere,
adhore firmly to any substance to which they are
flesh Of man; but in the octopus they have
nd power to puncturo or lacerate the
akin, or to cause blood to flow. They are
merely pneumatically prehensls organs, by
which the animals prey is caught and held; pot
by "harpooniDg," as the noveliat supposes, but
BY their atmospheric adhesion to the surface Of
its body. In this genus the sucking disks are
composed OF muscular membrane the circum-
ference OF which is thick and heshy, and in
some species cartilaginous, but in all unarmed,
and only adapted to secure close, air-t1ght con-
tact with any object 1t may touch. When e1-
perimenting on the holding force Of an octopus
have allowed it to fix its suckers firmly on my
arm and the back Of my hand, and by pretending
pull ,t she a aag from its a have
and retention. The only effect OF this has been
that the vacuum produced an almost in
distinguishable circular mark, correspond
ing with tho edge of the larger
caused by the application Of glass tube to the
akin, and the partial exhaustion Of the air in it
by drawing it from the other end BY the mouth
and tongue. In some Of the cephalopods the
out, circle Of the cups is horny ring, sharply
ser1ated or dentated around it's edge; and in
Of each cup is provided with sharp, strong
hook, which ia plunged deeply into flesh Of slip
perry prey for the better security OF it's hold but
the cuttle-fsh thus furnished are, unlike the
crawlers. This seasile arms Of the octopods are
considerably longer than those OF the
aecapods, or, ten-armed cnttle-fahes, but
the latter have, in addition to the
eight corresponding limbs, two long tentac-
Gus in the perfection Of their compound appara-
tus for securing and holding a struggling cap
tive. This arrangement is well suited to their
habits and mode Of life. Animals purely swim-
mers, and which hunt and overtake their prey
after them . bundle Of lengthy appeoaagea
trailing heavily astern. But long reach Of
arm is an advantage, instead Of q hindtance, to
the octopus; for, although it can swim on occa-
soma favorite cranny-its body thrust for pro-
lection vol back in the interior Of the recessits
bright eyes kecnly on the watch three or four
Of its arms firmly attached to the walls OF ita
Ind foelng about in the water, as il to maintain
it's vigilance and keep itself always on the alert,
and in readiness to pounce on any unfortunate |
wayfarer that may pass near its den. To small
dsh, crustaccnn or mo1lusc the aightest contact
with even ono Of those 1.-THE arms is fatal. In |
as pull OF trigger brings down a
bird, or touch OF electric wire e1plodes torpedo
or mining fuse, the pistons Of the seriea of |
suckers are simultaneously drawn inward, the |
.ir is removed from the pneumatic holders, and |
} vacuum created in each the victim strives to |
escape q further retraction Of the central part
II the disk makes all secure; and, 60 arm after
srrn, containing q mitrailleuse Of inverted air |
guns, takes horrid hold, battery after battery Of
hem is brought to bear. and the pressure Of the
ect the relaxation of their rctentive power but
he destruction Of the air-purnp that works
hem, or the closing Of the throttle-valve by
which they arc connected with it. III. Hugo
,ives us the means of estimating the size OF the
ellis us that it's arms were nearly metre $50
nches) long, None OF so great dimensions
laye, believe, been found in the English chan
,el, but it Is not impossible that such exist.
Granting this, the body OF such an octopus
gould not be much: larger than eoda-water
,ottle or a Florence flask, such Us oliye-oil is
old in; and so the horrible bag, which is q
MONSTER and into which you are to be inhaled
nd drawn alive, is but small affair after ALL
Tho sucker, also, which the novelist says ranged
rom the size Of fve-frano piece (which find
o be one and half inches in diameter) to that
f q split pea, would, commencing at the largest
+ them st the bases Of the arms, be from the
izo Of sixpence to that Of tho head OF. the
ctopus and other cephalopods obtain and eat
heir food very much Like the rapacious birds.
hey are the falcons Of the sea. Some OF them,
ke Onychoteuthis, strike their prey with talons
nd suckers also; others, like tho octopus, lay
ho flesh with their bealB and swallow and d.
est their food in as unromantic d fashion as
oes hawk or vulturo.".
FOND REC0tLEcTloNS. -.
By \ cEx7EsAn1AH.
Ah once-but that wns long ago
I loved maid With eycs OF snow,
With tresses pink, and lips OF blue,