, 1875-12-04

THE pEVlLFlsH.
Irof, koltmhnn, Of Munich, has rccoutly puh-
llsheu an interesting account OF tho habits Of
tic Octopus, Or dovil.tisb, Which ho had tho
opportunity et observing In tho aquarium Of
Dr. Dohra, at Naplot. Three OF these hugo
ccphAlopods ara confined In tho sau1o tauk iu
tie aquarium md Boom to b very much ss easo
in their confined lnaD!eEs and In each others
Buc,ety. From tho frat, tusoo loba!ors lAYo
lWoit with thom Oh tho most umtcablo tern,s,
but thoy suffer no further addtions 10 tle MIMI
Dor Of tllclr "Aappy family" At ono Ame q
largo lobster. OF such a!zo and strength that it
had bocu ab!o 10 c,uah tue Ehell Of 3 live turtle
nrArly ! fee. in length, wan Introduced into tho
tank. immediately the largest dsvlt'lsh set
upon tho iniruilos with tho utmost ferocitr. but
tho lobster caught hi,u by tho arm and held him
with tho grip OF vics. After timo tho doyi-
lsn recovered possession Of ha member, which,
being OF q substance like whisIeather, il not
easily parted or injured.
Tho contest between tho two puBnacIous par
tica buiuE renewed day after day. tho lobster
was til,s.ly Withdrawn from the COMPANY Of tho
dovi!-lsh and placed In Ill adjoining tank. But
thta was nut tue cud OF tbb matter. Tho doyil-
fish, bent ou tnas~acloing bis enemy. loft the
wAter. cln,aer! aver tllu Partition uepasAtlnY
him from ttts !ubs1cr AID renanGd his desperate
ahsa1llls. lie gnned tho ylotoFT this time. antl
when discovered by tho attendant, was iounl to
hayo aaIn sle lubster AMI literally tera it IN
halves. l'Tof. kollniann regards tic act Of the
tioyli-tlBh in following i,ia adversary ~ ndlca-
tive OF nsoso than instinct, Of intelligence.
Crustacsaus turn tia cllcf food Of tlo devil
ilsh, and tho cravings Of huuEer probably Hharp-
el,ed Ills Hensea III hts rul suit Of the lobster.
Other cerilalonols placed in tIo tank with
thtH truculent desil.sl lated no better than tho
lobster, and, it hot destroyed. wo!a driyau out
.tfA 81 tint AF11r r.t}ru AHA
fema.o octopus, according to tho account OF
lruf. kollMaun. blIlIo 4 nest oF largo btoncs
within wAict uho doposiss her cggs md sits over
tbotu will tho devotion OF hen. During this
te1lod OF incubation she GUARDS Aer 0ggs with
great cou1ago aud resolution. 10 was ptnyod in
tho eftotta OF tue uasura!at to obtsn soma for
examination. The e8ga were iuclouod ID deli"
cate horny euseiope, but were neaslY fsee from
tho Rlut,nuuu secretion that Ihiokty covers tha
oYa u Ii4e outt!s.,tah and AIuld. Tue ialtur
ccphalopods do nat guard their ugBs. but iasten
them upon sca-needs. roods aud even Bttrks
nna fssgoss. occurring near tha land. Theme
look like clusters Of black grapes, sud the traal-
lion ruus tllat The sqnld colats them aftes they
Mr. Henry Lee says Of tho msnuor ln which
tho cgga Vt llo cnttic.lislI ara deposited: Each
hAe tlexIble s!aik, looking and feeling like
1ndla-rutbsr. THO notAcr takes = tu1a wltA
tLis stalk round tho stem Of tho twiK or Sea-
weod 10 Which she wishes to attach tho egg tho
1ndia-rubber-l!ku material IL soft and sticky
when first la.d; and 10. instead Of splicing tho
loop, aho brings tho ond round to lhs base OF
tue stalk, c.ose to tho egg. aud cements or wolds
it thote into solid riuK. THUS tho ogRs u
'thredded' {tAreadsd) ono by one. Some
tmos tue stalk OF cue Ia fastened round that OF
another, and occasionally the psocess ts repeat
Vi until tile whole u1asa IL made up iu this nay.
without any ceuI1Al stsm. The work u AZ well
and ueatly dons d it skilled hauds 4Ad becn en-
{loyed op H. but how tue mother ruttie.tsh et-
ftc;s It / believe no one knoHs."
Ihk fhmhlN RfunH&ut--annthRt NJ Tim alphk-
armed cephalopotls- het eggs sbout with
her IN she'll cradle. but tho octopus. ~ we hAys
ssen. bfoods over Asrs. And It 10 very necessary
that sac should watch thsE yigilautly. fur tho
lAale has gIeAt liking Tor shB txsts ct hs owu
onspElng and would uuscrupu!0usly daYouz tapm
al could he 1ut Rst ii than.
IL ltsverMon Of Prot. KullulAnus htatamen r.
BsIdlnR lbe, varied eadoHusuts ul tho dasiLash,