Chap. 48] THE VARIOUS KINDS OF POLYPI. 421 



Embracing his body, it counteracts his struggles, and dra\9's 

 him under with its feelers and its numerous suckers, when, as 

 often is the case, it happens to make an attack upon a ship- 

 wrecked mariner or a child. If, however, the animal is turned 

 over, it loses all its power ; for when it is thrown upon the 

 back, the arms open of themselves. 



The other particulars, which the same author has given, 

 appear still more closely to border upon the marvellous. At 

 Carteia,^^ in the preserves there, a polypus was in the habit of 

 coming from the sea to the^^ pickling- tubs that were left 

 open, and devouring the fish laid in salt there — for it is quite 

 astonishing how eagerly all sea-animals follow even the very 

 smell of salted condiments, so much so, that it is for this rea- 

 son, that the fishermen take care to rub the inside of the wicker 

 fish-kipes^^ with them. — At last, by its repeated thefts and 

 immoderate depredations, it drew down upon itself the wrath 

 of the keepers of the works. Palisades were placed before 

 them, but these the polypus managed to get over by the aid of 

 a tree,^^ and it was only caught at last by calling in the as- 

 sistance of trained dogs, which surrounded it at night, as it 

 was returning to its prey ; upon which, the keepers, awakened 

 by the noise, were struck with alarm at the novelty of the 

 sight presented. First of all, the size of the poly]:>us was enor- 

 mous beyond all conception ; and then it was covered all over 



that the polypus, which they call the chatrou^ is a most formidable enemy to 

 swimmers aud divers ; for when it has embraced any of the limbs with its 

 tentacles, it adheres with such tenacity, that it is quite impossible for a 

 person to disengage himself, or to move any of his limbs. 



^^ In Spain ; see B. iii. c. 3. ./Elian, Hist. ^Vnim, B. vi. c. 13, tells a 

 similar story about a polypus at Puteoli. 



'^^ " Lacus ;" large tubs used in the process of pickling. This story, 

 Cuvier observes, is only surpassed by those told by the Norwegians relative 

 to the " kraken" of their seas, which, according to some versions of the fable, 

 is a polypus of such vast size, that sailors have sometimes mistaken it for 

 an island. 



^' ''Nassis." The "nassa" was a contrivance for catching fish by 

 the junction of osier or willow rods. It was probably made in the shape 

 of a large bottle with a narrow mouth, and placed with the mouth facing 

 the current. Aristotle, Hist. Anim. B. iv. c. 8, states, that the fishermen, 

 when they were desirous of bringing the fish out of their holes, were in the 

 habit of rubbing the mouth of the holes with salted flesh. 



•^'- Oppiau, Halieut. B. i. c. 310, tells a story of a polypus, of the 

 ozpcna species, that was in the habit of climbing trees, and plundering the 

 fruit. 



