SEPIA, the CUTTLE-FISH, a genus of animals belonging to the class of vermes. See HELMINTHOLOGY Index.
The officinal cuttle affords the cuttle-bone of the shops, which was formerly used as an absorbent. The bones are frequently flung on all our floors; the animal very rarely. The conger eels, it is said, bite off their arms, or feet: but it is added they grow again, as does the lizard's tail (Plin. ix. 29.). They are preyed upon by the plaice. This fish emits (in common with the other species), when alarmed or pursued, the black liquor which the ancients supposed darkened the circumambient wave, and concealed it from the enemy.
The endanger'd cuttle thus evades his fears,
And native hoards of fluid safety bears.
A pitchy ink peculiar glands supply,
Whose shades the sharpest beam of light defy.
Pursu'd, he bids the sable fountains flow,
And, wrapt in clouds, eludes th' impending foe.
The fish retreats unseen, while self-born night,
With pious shade befriends her parent's flight.
The ancients sometimes made use of it instead of ink. Persius mentions the species in his description of the noble student.
Jam liber, et bicolor positus membrana capillis,
Inque manus chartæ, nodosaque venit arundo.
Tum querimur, crassus calamo quod pendeat humor;
Nigra quod infusa venefacta sepia lymphæ.
At length, his book he spreads, his pen he takes;
His papers here in learned order lays,
And there his parchmen's smoother side displays.
But oh! what crosses wait on studious men!
The cuttle's juice hangs clotted at our pen.
In all my life such stuff I never knew,
So gummy thick—Dilute it, it will do.
Nay, now 'tis water!
This animal was esteemed a delicacy by the ancients, and is eaten even at present by the Italians. Rondeletius gives us two receipts for the dressing, which may be continued to this day. Athenæus also leaves us the method of making an antique cuttle fish sausage; and we learn from Aristotle, that those animals are in highest season when pregnant.