Specimens of another of the Sepiidae, the diminutive Sepiola (S. Rondeletii) — a veritable Liliputian among cuttles — are sometimes caught in shrimp-nets, and brought to the Aquarium.  The mantle-sac enclosing the body of this little Tom Thumb cephalopod is about an inch in length, and in shape like a short widebore mortar.  The large goggle eyes seem to be out of all proportion to the size of their owner; but they are, apparently, “all the better to see with,” either to watch for a tender young shrimp coming within arms reach, or to perceive an approaching enemy.  Now and again specimens of the “little squid” (Loligo media) are brought in.  Their movements are very graceful and pleasing.  They are gregarious, like other squids, and keep close together.  By the action of their tail-fins, they can either “go a-head” or “turn astern;” and it is very interesting to watch their manoeuvres.  We once had in one of the tanks four of these “little squids” (which are only about four inches long), and I was much amused by seeing them perform, in a most ludicrous manner, the quadrille figure called La Trenise.  Three of them ranged themselves side by side, and advanced towards, and retired from a solitary one, who, for some reason, was not received into their rank, but faced them.  When they withdrew, stern first, to the back of the tank, the lonely one followed them up with a pas seul.  

These “little squids” are impudently voracious. I have seen one in single combat with a young dog-fish about four inches long. At first I thought the fish was the aggressor, and had seized one of the tentacular arms of the little Loligo as a good substitute for a worm; but it was soon apparent that the affray had been provoked by the carnivorous cephalopod, and that the puppy-fish would get the worst of it ; —so they were separated.