THE LERNEAN HYDRA.
53
Having ascertained that the octopus was a familiar
object in the very locality where the combat between
Hercules and the Hydra is supposed to have taken place,
let us compare the animal as it exists with the monstrous
offspring of Typhon and Echidna.
It is a not uncommon occurrence that when an octopus
is caught it is found to have one or more of its arms shorter
than the rest, and showing marks of having been amputated,
and of the formation of a new growth from the old cicatrix.
Several such specimens were brought to the Brighton
Aquarium whilst I had charge of its Natural History
FIGURES OF THE OCTOPUS ON GOLD ORNAMENTS FOUND BY
DR. SCHLIEMANN AT MYCEX.«.
Department. One of them was particularly interesting. Two
of its arms had evidently been bitten off about four inches
from the base : and out from the end of each healed stump
(which in proportion to the length of the limb was as if
a man's arm had been amputated halfway between the
shoulder and the elbow), grew a slender little piece of newly-
formed arm, about as large as a lady's stiletto, or a small
button-hook — in fact just the equivalent of worthy Captain
Cuttle's iron hook, which did duty for his lost hand. It
was an illustrative example of the commencement of the
repair and restoration of mutilated limbs.