The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1876-07-14
CUTTLE-FISHES.

mallusk family known asthe Cephay0Poda,
or "head. footed Stories of the giant
that exist among the wonders
of the deep have come down to us
ancient scandinavian tradition,
and the classic authors of Greece and
Rome relate wondrous narratives of sea-
which had apparently |
gathered and accumulated marvels by |
transmission from generation to genera
ton by word of mouth before they were !
crystallized into enduring shape on parch |
ment. Eric Pontoppidan, bishop of |
Bergen, was the collector of many re-
markable legends relating to the "great |
beasts that live in the great and wide |
sea-" Paullinus, naturalist of Eisenach, !
describes a mOnstrous animal which oc-
casionally rose from the sea between
Lapland and Finmark, and was of such
extraordinary dimensions that a regi-
ment of soldiers might maneuver on its
back; and Denys de Montiort depicts
a tremendous cuttle-fsh which once
threw its enormous arms over a three
niasted vessel, tearing down the yards,
swapping off the masts, and proceeding
to drag the ship down to the bottom,
which catastrophe was only averted by
the prompt action of the crew in cutting
off the limbs of the monster with cut
Iasses and hatchets.
These stories of colossal cutie fishes,
accordingto Mr.. Lee, though undoubt-
eddy gross exaggerations, are neverthe-
less founded on fact They are based on
the rare occurrence of specimens-smaller
certainly, but still enormous, of some
Unknown species Through study and
observation of the rate of increase in size
among young cuttle-fishes, naturalists
have arrived at the conclusion that not
only do they live many years, but they
continue to grow until the end
of their lives. That some of
them, therefore, should attain to
considerable size is hardly surprising. In
confirmation of this opinion, there is on
exhibition at the British museum, pre-
served in spirits, the single arm of huge
cephalopod, which, judged by the pro-
portions of known examples, must have
been severed from the body of monster
at least forty-eight feet long. Here, then,
we have cutie fish which must have
once possessed sufficient power to upset
a boat, or to drag an unsuspecting sailor
from ships side, crushing and tearing
him in pieces with its snaky arms and
horrible beak In 1874 a calamary was
captured in Conception Bay measuring
thirty feet in length, and in April Of
1875 another specimen, not quite as
large, was discovered off Bafin Island
Connemara. These facts, together with
other well-attested statements on the
part of sailors, seem TO establish the ex
istence of cuttle-fshes of great size and
strength, and give ! show of probability
to the least exaggerated of the ancient
stories.
! The common cuttle-fsh, or pigmy rela
tive of the great sea-monsters, though
less marvellous, is curious little crea
ture, and interesting to the student o.
natural history. Flabby and clammy
enough in death, it Is nevertheless {
lovely object when alive Poised neal
the surface of the water, like a hawk il
the air, it moves gently about by grace
ful undulations of its lateral fins, an ex
quisite play of color occasionally taking
place over its beautifully barred and
notified back. When tranquil, its eight
pedal arms are usually brought close to
gether, and droop in front of its head
like the trunk of an elephant shortened
Only when some small fish comes in it:
way is It's facility of rapid motion dis
played Then, quickly as a kingfshel
darts upon a minnow, it pounces upor
its prey.
: The name of the cuttle-fsh, said to bt
derived from the Saxon cudeLs, signilyinl
to withdraw or hide, from whence W,
also get our pet word cuddle, signi6et
the nature of its fatal embrace The
unfortunate victim is crushed anC
smothered in the soft hold, and tn,
cuttle-fish retires to a recess in thu
rocks, tearing its prey to pieces with IT.
horny beak, and rending it into the min
utest shreds with its jagged tongue. Af
ter hearty meal it will sometimes res
for hours on the bottom, looking very
much like a sleepy tortoise. So vora
cious are these little creatures that il
some regions fishermen regard them a
rivals. They devour the fishes or man
gle them so that they are unstable Or
the other hand, the cuttle-fish does gooC
service among the cod-fsheries of New
foundland. The Goldfish looks upon hin
as a peculiar delicacy, and according t
the calculation of Mr.. w. E. Cormack, {
merchant of Newfoundland, more than &
hundred millions OF cod are caught annu
ally with cuttle-fsh as bait Thus the
cutie plays not unimportant part in
one of the great industries of northern
Europe.
Although the cuttle-fish has the power
to swim in a forward direction by the
use of its side fps, its usual mode of pro-
erosion is TO dart backward by forcibly
eiecting stream of water from the fun.
mel like tube with which it is provided
The force with which the water is ex.
PEELED is very great, and the cutie, when
startled, generally makes use of his
squirting ability for the annoyance Of
the enemy. The story is told of Tom
Hood, who on fishing exclusion captured
one of these little creatures. Unaware OF
its peculiarc characteristics, he fastened to
lay hold of it. Receiving a small tor
rent of water full in his face, he re-
marked that he "didn't exactly know
what he had got on his line, but thought
he had hooked young garden engine.
A remarkable organ with which the
cutie is provided is sac, popularity
called the ''ink-bag," in which is stored
black secretion, which it is able to
employ at will as protection against its
enemies. There is communication be-
tween this ink-bag and the funnel or lc-
comotor tube, so that the black fluid can
be elected in the same rapid rocket-like
manner. There is, also, little doubt that
the creatures Intentionally take aim,
| and that they do it with the same accuracy