The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1891-10-03
ABOUT THE OCTOPUS.
THE CUTIE FISH STANDS
ALONE AMONG FISHES.
~ Appears Almost fnssnsibie 40 Pain
Its stomach IL it, Only vital Part
Monsters with Arms
Thirty Feet Long.

Although digniiied by the name OF n
fish. the cutie fish has nothing in
common with the fnny inhabitants of
nhe sea, save that its existence is
passed beneath tho surface 81 the
water II stands alone apart from all
living creatures. with scarcely point
OF resemblance 20 any OF them. its
nearest relations being. perhaps, the
sea anemones those lovely inhabit-
ants OF pools among rocks. The cutie
fish varies In size from the squid be-
loved by goulTnands who dwell on the
shores OF the Mediterranean TO the
monster octopus who throws his arms
round boats and drags them TO the
bottom. Some. indeed, In the Indian
seas are reported 10 grow 20 a size that
renders them formidable even To ships,
wrapping them in It's embrace and
dragging the sailors from the deck or
shrouds. Bodies huve been east ashore
whose arms have measured thirty feet
In length. and these could we'll pluck
"A sailor from the deck OF n ship.
The octopus appears almost insensible
TO pain and the hacking OF Of one or
cause IL any Inconvenience Its body
or rather its stomach-is its only
vital part and even this must be al
most cut into pieces before IL will re-
linquish the hold il has obtained Of its
prey. The bcak of parrot il the
last thing one would expect TO find in
the center OF these waving tentacles.
and nature apparently placed Il there
as the browning effort in the work OF
construction OF this monster
Among birds beasts and fishes we
may seek in vain for n prototype OF
the octopus. Happily there Is every
reason TO- supposing that the fish
which forms the staple OF the diet OF
octopus suffer little In the process OF
destruction. Fish are certainly al
most II not entirely. insenslble TO pain,
and there Is no reason TO suppose that
they are gifted with strong powers OF
imagination; IL may therefore be be.
lieved that although fish may struggle
10 escape from the grip Of the tentncle
II feels no horror and that IFS doom is
hidden from II until the savage beak
seizes H. and al once puts AN end TO its
existence.
Some OF the cutie fish are large
manufacturers Of ink. These instead
OF anchoring themselves TO the bottom.
float near the surface and their chance
Of obtaining food would be small were
il not for their power Of ciecting ink.
and thus clouding the water and veil
ing themselves from sighi--a habit
which also affords them method OF
escape when themselves attacked by
the shark or other formidable enemy
Seeing tina, the peculiar variety OF ink
sccretcd by the cutie fish Is OF n very
valuable kind, IL is somewhat remark
able that no enierprising manufacturer
has as yet taken the matter in hand
and established an aqueous farm for
the breeding and roaring of cutie fish.
Indian ink and sepia are both so
valuable says the sat Evening Post,
that such an enterprise ought 10 pay
handsome profits. and il the oyster
can he cultivated. why not the cutie
FISH? II would. Of course. be neces-
sary that the retaining walls OF the
gigantic aquarium indicted should be
impervious 10 the passing OF cutie
fish even in their earliest stage; for
otherwise its proprietors would be
liable very speedily to be indicated as
n nuisance by the clearinghouse keep
crs and owners OF bathing machines
Of the nearest seaside watering places.
But this could doubtless be effected
and then no Argument could be adduc-
ed that the cuttlo fish should nccessar-
nv be nuisance 10 the neighboea that
would not equally apply To the wild
beasts az mcnagcric. In the latter
ease ono occasionally breaks out and
causes CONSERVATION. and possibly.
damage. and even II an octopus should
do the same there could be no very
valid ground for complaint. As the
squid when cooked furnlshc. some
what gclatinous food not altogether
dissimiar 10 calves head. II r. proba-
bic that the fesh OF the larger vario-
tics might be utilized for the mnnufac-
ture or mock turtle. and another source
OF revenue would therefore. be open
90 their breeders II Is clear from
these remarks that the cuitlc fish has
not hitherto received the careful con-
sideration that II deserves. and that
the dislike we feel for its form and
hnbits has blinded us io the benefits
that might with culture and domcstica-
ton be derived from him.
The DEVILS Table.
Many renders az ..Notcs for The