BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 189 



43 — NOTES UPON OCTOPUS, FLYING FISH, ETC., TAKEN DURING 

 THE ALBATROSS CRUISE IN JANUARY, 18S4. 



By WILLARD NYE, Jr. 



Octopus, Kock Squid, or Sea Cat caught at St. Tiiomas. — 

 When first seen it was on the shore side of a eoral reef in water about 

 one loot deep ; the euds of its arms were coiled up nearly to the mem- 

 brane between them, which membrane was well extended. Itappeared 

 to take very little notice of a person moving around in the water or on 

 the reef within three or (our feet of it, until it was touched, when it 

 took hold of the bottom and moved slowly to the coral reef and fastened 

 to it with its arms. On being poked with a stick it let go with two 

 arms, extended them along the opposite sides of the stick, and took such 

 a firm hold of it that a pull of from 100 to 150 pounds failed to get the 

 stick away. If the pulling was kept up it soou seemed to become ex- 

 hausted and suddenly let go of the stick, but on again being touched it 

 would take hold once more. In no case did it use more than two arms 

 for seizing the stick, the others all the while being attached to the reef. 

 When first thoroughly aroused it ejected a black liquid, but although 

 severely poked around in the water for five or six minutes, it did not 

 again throw out any colored fluid. 



Flying-Fish — When flying they move their fins very rapidly, much 

 like a bumblebee. They seem rather to prefer flying to windward than 

 the opposite; and sometimes, in a stiff breeze, they will rise aud fly to 

 windward lrom 30 to 40 yards. They do not seem to be attracted to 

 any great extent by a light held a few feet from the water ; but if the 

 electric light is lowered beneath the surface a few inches and kept 

 stationary they come around to investigate, and at times seem to be- 

 come much excited about it. I do not think that their flying on board 

 a vessel is because they are attracted by the lights, but rather because 

 thcj* get flurried, and not having that control of their course that a bird 

 has they sometimes drop ou deck rather than into the water. 



Fishing at St. Thomas. — Most of the fish are taken in traps or pots, 

 some of which are nearly if not quite ten feet iu diameter. They are 

 mostly in the shallow bays and lagoons, where the water is from 5 to 

 15 feet deep, and also in the lee of the breakers on the numerous points. 

 Many fish are taken by trolling with hook and line, baited with a small 

 fish or a piece cut from a large one. Even the large fish do not seem 

 to be much afraid of getting in shallow water, which may in part be 

 due to the fact that the rise and fall of tide is very slight. The tackle 

 used in fishing would be considered by us as rather coarse and clumsy. 



Octopus, or Sea Cat, at Curacoa. — During the day they remain 

 in the cracks or under the coral and stones, but come out at night to 



