ARMED BUT NOT DANGEROUS What is sometimes green, sometimes brown, sometimes gray, sometimes a mixture of all three colors, and has one head and eight arms? Here is a clue: the Greek word for eight is okto. If you guessed octopus, you are right! The octopus lives in holes or openings in the rocky bottom of the sea, where it protects itself from its enemies by changing its color to match its surroundings. In seaweed it can turn green; on sand it can turn brown;against rocks it can turn gray. For example, if it is attacked by a shark it can change its color in an instant in orderto blend into the background. The surprised shark is left wonderinf where it went. It can also protect itself by ejecting a large blob of black ink-like liquid that acts as a screen. This is confuses its attacker, who may go after the dark blob, giving the octopus a chance to escape. Because it has no bones, an octopus can escape alter its shape; it cna then force its way inside empty small shells or under rocks or into very narrow openings. To be even safer, it may cover itself with stones or shells. The octopus's eight rubbery arms are very flexible and can easily ge wrapped around even quite small objects. Each arm is equipped  with two rows of fleshy, deeply set suckers that give it a powerful grip. The octopus uses its arms to seize other animals such as crabs and lobsters as they scurry along the sea floor. It can then use the two strong, horny beaks in its mouth to crash open the shell of its victim. The octopus has keen eyesight, which it needs because it hunts mostly at night. It has a large brain for its size, and it makes full use of its intelligence in its efforts to catch food. For example, if an octopus cannot open a clam, it will wait until the clam opens itself. When it does, the octopus will put a stone between the two shells so that they cannot close. Then it can get at the juicy clam without having to struggle. There are many different kind of octopuses, and they are widely distributed throughout the world's oceans. They live mostly in warm, shallow water, not far from shore, The smallest ones grow to be no more than two inches across; the largest ones, which live in the Pacific Ocean, can grow to be thirty feet across, although their body might be only eighteen inches. If, when swimming in the Pacific, you venture too far from shore, you may find yourself in the embrace of one of these creatures. If this should happen to you, it is best not to struggle. If you let your body go limp, the octopus will probably let you go. Although movies sometimes show them as terrifying and dangerous monsters, there is no reason to fear them. Around humans, at least, octopuses are usually shy and gentle creatures.