28 THE ECONOMIC MOLLUSCA OF ACADIA. 



have this value. Its use as food is not unknown. Rev.. 

 Philip Tocqne, in his work on Newfoundland, speaking 

 apparently of this species, says : " The Eed Indians of New- 

 foundland esteemed it a great delicacy, it being eaten raw by 

 them. It is rarely eaten by the inhabitants of Newfoundland, 

 being generally considered unfit for food. It is, however, a 

 well-flavored fish, and is excellent either boiled or fried ; it 

 tastes much like the large claws of the lobster." 



As is well known, it is from the ink of an allied form that 

 the India ink of commerce is obtained. We cannot find that 

 any experiments have been tried to determine the value of 

 this species for that purpose. Probably it would not pay to 

 capture it especially for this, but if worth while the ink bags- 

 of those used in the fisheries could be saved, the fishermen 

 putting all good ones aside as the Squid are cut up for bait. 



It is interesting in this connection to note that it was long 

 ago upon our own shores considered good food. Denys in his- 

 "Histoire Naturelle" of 1672, speaking of the Squid in 

 Acadia, says : " The Squid [Leucornet] is another fish formed 

 about like the cuttle-fish. It has arms around the head of 

 the length of half a foot or thereabouts, with which it takes 

 fish for food. To capture it a fire is made on the shore at the 

 edge of the water. At night on the flood tide it comes towards- 

 the land and, leaving the sea, lands high and dry upon the- 

 beach which is often found quite covered with it. It is about 

 a foot in length, quite round, larger in the middle than at 

 the ends; the end of the tail is pointed at which there is a 

 border of two fingers in size all around, like a little round 

 shield. It is good to eat roasted, boiled and fried ; it makes 

 the black sauce just as do the Calamaries in France, which 

 are little cuttle fishes. These fishes are found there in the- 

 sea as large as hogsheads. These latter never come to land,, 

 where only the little ones are seen in the spring and autumn."" 

 n the latter sentence we have apparently a reference to the- 

 giant cuttle-fish of Newfoundland, lately described by Prof. 

 Verrill. The entire description shows an accuracy of observa- 

 tion which is quite surprising, considering the time and the- 

 little attention then paid to such matters. 



