brown colour, with the skin marked by numerous dark purple specks.

The Cuttle-fish is described by some naturalists, as naked or
shell-less. It is often found attached to the shell of the Paper
Nautilus, which it is said to use as a sail. It is, however, very
doubtful whether the Cuttle-fish has a shell of its own. There is a
controversy upon the subject. Aristotle, and our contemporary, Home,
maintain it to be parasitical: Cuvier and Ferrusac, non-parasitical;
but the curious reader will find the _pro_ and _con._--the majority
and minority--in the _Magazine of Natural History_, vol. iii. p. 535.

* * * * *




NOTES OF A READER.

* * * * *

SERVANTS IN INDIA.


[Captain Skinner, in his _Excursions in India_, makes the following
sensible observations on the tyranny over servants in India:]

There are throughout the mountains many of the sacred shrubs of the
Hindoos, which give great delight, as my servants fall in with them.
They pick the leaves; and running with them to me, cry, "See, sir,
see, our holy plants are here!" and congratulate each other on having