OEPHALOPODS AS FOOD. .)( 



Mr. Vice-Consul Green, in a recent report, furnishes some 

 novel and interesting particulars as to the fishing and trade in 

 eephalopods in the Tunis waters. Octopodia and polypi are the 

 trade names under which these eephalopods are known in the 

 Levant and Greek markets, where they are solely imported for 

 consumption during Lent, the orthodox Church not including 

 them in the prohibition against the use of flesh in seasons of 

 religious abstinence. 



They prefer rocky sliallows, and visit these waters, coming 

 from the open sea, in the months of January, February and 

 March. A considerable number of octopodia, however, remain 

 permanently near the shores ; but it has been observed that when 

 their fry, locally called " muschi," are numerous from the month 

 of June to August, the fishing of the coming season is sure to 

 be abundant, whilst the reverse is the case if they appear in 

 numbers in November and December. In a good season, the 

 several villages on the Island of Karkenah supply about 3000 

 cwts., and the Jubah waters a third part of this quantity. On 

 the shores from the village of Luesa to that of Chenies, in the 

 Gulf of Khabs, the natives collect from 4 to 5 cwts. of cuttle-fish 

 a day, during the season ; but this supply generally serves for 

 the consumption of the regency. 



The Tunisian Government claims a third of all the polypi 

 fished upon its coast. The selling price A^aries from 25 to 50 

 shillings per cwt. PoWpi are prepared for exportation by simply 

 salting and drying them. Malta receives the largest share of 

 the Tunisian polypi, but they are only sent to that island for 

 ultimate transportation to Greece and other parts of the Levant. 



Portugal is one of the few countries that competes with Tunis 

 in supplying the Greek markets with polypi. In Greece they 

 are either sold after being pickled, at from £12. 16s., to £15. 9s., 

 the can tar of 176 lbs., or in their original dried state, at £12 to 

 £14, but these prices fluctuate according to the results of the 

 season's fishing. 



On the first arrival of the octopodia in the shallows, they keep 

 in masses or shoals, but speedily separate in search of shelter 

 among the rocks near the beach, covered by only one or two feet 

 of water, and in the stony localities prepared for them by the 

 fishermen, in order to frustrate (?) the depositing of their spawn. 

 Polypi are taken in deep water by means of earthen jars strung 

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