Ashtabula telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1874-1880, 1877-10-19

extremity of the tail 40 feet. The
long tentacles are thin, and tough as
leather, being only 5 inches in cir
conference, except at the extreml-
ties, where they broaden out and
are 8 inches in circumference. The
body at its thickest part is nearly Z
feet in circumference. There are
eight short arms, which at the point
OF junction with the central mass
are IL inches in circumference, but
at their extremities taper down to
me tongue-like points, having rows
Vi suckers along one side. tried to
count these suckers on one arm.
which Is ii feet In length, and made
out 200, large and small; SO that the
eight arms must contain 1000 suck
ers; the long arms perhaps $50
more. The head, or central mass.
from which the arms radiate, is Al
feet in circumference. Unfortun-
ately the delicate eyes had beeen de-
strOyed on the voyage or in putting
II on board; but the socket of one
measured inches in diameter.
The appearance of the animal
when in the water is described by
the fishermen as extraordinary. The
tail had got fast on rock as il was
swimming backward, and it was
rendered powerless. In its desperate
efforts TO escape the ten arms dar5ed
about in all directions, Iashing the
water into foam, the thir y-foot ten
tacles IN particular making lively
play as 1t shot them out and endeav-
Ored to get a purchase" with their
powerful suckers, so as to draw it.
self into deep water. 1t was only
when it became exhausted and the
tide receded that the fishermen ven
tured to approach it. Its mode of
moving through the water is re-
markabie. Behind the head on one
side tube or funnel is visible, which
is connected with the bronchial or
breathing organs. The water is ad.
mltted to these organs by valves,
which allow it to enter on the mus
cular dilatatiOn of the body; and
when the water so admitted has COM
municated its oxygen to the blood it
is expelled by this tube, just as in the
case of fishes 1t is driven out at the
gills. But then this effete water, af-
ter purifying the blood of the Great
ure, is not merely got rid of, but is
utilized so as to be subservient to the
movements of the animal. By eject
ing the water through the funnel
with force, it is, by the reaction of
the surrounding medium, enabled to
dart backward with amazing rapidi-
ty. This is its usual mode of loco
motion, and nothing can surpass the
ease and elegance OF such movements.
The body is just visible above the
surface of the water; the funnel is at
work below, like hydraulic engine,
ejecting the water, while the triangu
lar fin which forms the tail acts the
part of front rudder and directs the
way. 1t also moves forward by
means of the fin-like expansion of
It's tail, and sideways by means of
the'side-6ns or the expansions of the
mantle. 1t can also use its arms and
legs and crawl along the bottom of
the sea with its head downwardS.
The backward motion, however, is
that which is most graceful and nat
ural in the giant squid. When NOV
ing through the water its arms are
folded together. When grasping its
prey it shoots out one of the long,
1.-THE tentacles, which are endowed
with high degree of muscularity,
and as quickly as a cat could clap
her paw on mouse the extremity of
the arm covered with suckers SEXES
the object by the suckers, the pistons
of which are quickly retracted and
the sharp denticulated edges are
pressed with enormous force on the
surface of the victim. Then the 9th
er arms twine round and grasp it,
and from that cOrpse-like embrace
there is no escape. Altogether, the
gigantic cuttle-fish is the most won
derful of all the denizens of the great
deep.