OCTOPODIDA. 15 
Ocropus, Lamarck, 1799. 
Etym.— Octo, eight ; pous (poda), feet. Poulpe. 
Syn.—Polypus, Leach, 1817 
Distr.—44 species. Coasts of temperate and tropical seas. 
O. Cuvieri, d’Orb. (xxiii, 5); O. octopodia, Linn. (xxiii, 1). 
Animal with a rounded body, not finned at the sides or 
extremity ; the eight long arms provided on their inner surface 
with two rows of sessile fleshy suckers; mantle-support fleshy. 
Shell represented by two short cartilaginous stylets enclosed in 
the tissues of the mantle. The third right arm of the male is 
altered for sexual purposes. 
Verany says, that although the Octopus usually hides itself in 
the crevices of rocks, which the elasticity of its body enables it 
to do with great facility, it sometimes frequents sandy bottoms. 
On these occasions, as he has several times observed, it covers 
itself with debris by means of its suckers, and thus hid, patiently 
awaits its prey. The Poulpes are fished by means of an edible 
morsel, attached to a line and slowly moved about their retreat. 
An individual having enveloped the bait in his arms, is gently 
drawn sufficiently near to the fisherman to enter a small hand- 
net. In summer, the young octopods are caught by means of a 
line armed with several hooks garnished with red cloth. By 
quickly drawing in the line, the animals may be captured. This 
is considered a fine pastime for the fine summer evenings at 
Nice. The Octopus retains his vitality for a long time out of 
the water, so that the fisherman is compelled to kill him at once 
with his knife, to prevent escape. 
The meat of the Octopus has a well-marked taste, and is excel- 
lent when young. It is regularly sold by fishermen in the 
markets of Southern Europe. <A section of an arm shows a white, 
firm flesh, resembling in appearance steaks of halibut. 
The largest Octopus seen by Verany was over three yards in 
length, and weighed 25 kilogrammes; it was captured by a fisher- 
man with his hands only, after a fatiouing struggle. 
The action of the suckers of the Poulpe upon the skin, the 
serpentine motion and muscular force of its arms, and its hideous 
aspect, have caused to be exaggerated, says M. Verany, the mis- 
deeds of this cephalopod, which is stupid and ineapable of harm. 
Mr. Jeffreys, in his admirable ‘“ British Conchology,” states 
that the Octopus feeds principally on bivalves. The heaps of 
shells around their dens, which are uncovered during the recess 
of spring tides at Herm, are enormous; in one of these heaps, 
more than two thousand shells were counted, principally species 
of Tapes. 
Lord’s “ Naturalist in British Columbia” contains the following 
account of the Octopus: 
“The ordinary resting-place of this hideous sea-beast is under 
