Octavia lays eggs early that summer, the final stage in a female octopus’s life. They meet every Wednesday to visit with Kali so Montgomery can learn more about her. One is a volunteer named Wilson who has deft and sensitive skills with octopuses. In addition to Bill, Montgomery meets several people at the aquarium, both staff and volunteers, who become friends. With Octavia aging, the aquarium acquires another young octopus it names Kali. Octopuses only live a short time-depending on species, a maximum of five years. Montgomery leaves on an extended book tour, and when she returns, Octavia seems to have begun her descent into old age. Because an octopus’s arms contain many of its neurons, each arm almost has a brain of its own, and the suckers on its arms allow it to taste, feel, and grip things as well as analyze chemicals. Montgomery accompanies Octavia’s keeper, Bill Murphy, when he feeds her, and she interacts with the young octopus through touch. Octavia is initially shy and standoffish but soon warms to Montgomery. The aquarium acquires a new octopus, named Octavia, and Montgomery sets out to get to know her. After only a few visits, however, Athena unexpectedly dies. She is fascinated by what she learns about octopuses, which is quite different from the stereotypes and myths about them in popular culture. Montgomery begins by describing her brief interactions with an octopus named Athena at the New England Aquarium in Boston, Massachusetts.
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