第58章

The young are produced in the same way also by the cephalopoda, e.g.

sepias and the like, and by the crustacea, e.g.carabi and their kindred, for these also lay eggs in consequence of copulation, and the male has often been seen uniting with the female.Therefore those who say that all fish are female and lay eggs without copulation are plainly speaking unscientifically from this point of view also.For it is a wonderful thing to suppose that the former animals lay eggs in consequence of copulation and that fish do not; if again they were unaware of this, it is a sign of ignorance.The union of all these creatures lasts a considerable time, as in insects, and naturally so, for they are bloodless and therefore of a cold nature.

In the sepias and calamaries or squids the eggs appear to be two, because the uterus is divided and appears double, but that of the poulps appears to be single.The reason is that the shape of the uterus in the poulp is round in form and spherical, the cleavage being obscure when it is filled with eggs.The uterus of the carabi is also bifid.All these animals also lay an imperfect egg for the same reason as fishes.In the carabi and their like the females produce their eggs so as to keep them attached to themselves, which is why the side-flaps of the females are larger than those of the males, to protect the eggs; the cephalopoda lay them away from themselves.The males of the cephalopoda sprinkle their milt over the females, as the male fish do over the eggs, and it becomes a sticky and glutinous mass, but in the carabi and their like nothing of the sort has been seen or can be naturally expected, for the egg is under the female and is hard-shelled.Both these eggs and those of the cephalopoda grow after deposition like those of fishes.

The sepia while developing is attached to the egg by its front part, for here alone is it possible, because this animal alone has its front and back pointing in the same direction.For the position and attitude of the young while developing you must look at the Enquiries.