84 THE OCTOPUS. 



cuttles and octopus are there eaten during Lent as commonly as 

 salted cod are brought to table in England on Good Friday; and, 

 thus prepared, generally form a portion of the provisions supplied 

 to the Greek fishing-boats and coasters.* The Indians of North- 



* The following interesting information, which appeared in the Standard of 

 December 25th, 1874, is derived from a Report on the Tunisian Fisheries by 

 Mr. W. Kirby Green, H.B.M. Consul at Tunis, published in May, 1872. 



" During Advent and Lent, the octopus is largely consumed by the Orthodox 

 Greek Catholics, amongst whom the use of meat and fish is prohibited in those 

 seasons of abstinence. This strange diet is chiefly obtained from Tunis, and 

 in the Levant and Greek markets its trade name is "octopodia" or "polpi." 

 The villages in the neighbourhood of Karkenah are the chief localities Avhere 

 this species of cephalopoda are obtained, and the produce of this fishery, in a 

 year of abundance, yields about 2,500 cwt. of polypi ; in an average year, about 

 1,800 cwt. ; in a year of scarcity, 1,050 cwt. In a good season the whole of 

 the Island of Karkenah supplies about 3,000 cwt. ; and the Jerbah waters a 

 third of this quantity. On the shores from the village of Luesa to that of 

 Chneies, in the Gulph of Khabs, the natives collect from four to five cwt. of 

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

 consumption of the Regency. The remaining coast and islands may be cal- 

 culated to furnish a minimum of 650 cwt. to 700 cwt. of dried fish. 



The octopods prefer the rocky shallows, and are found in those waters, 

 coming from the open sea, in the months of January, February, and March ; 

 but a considerable number remain permanently near the shore. It has been 

 observed that when their fry are numerous from the months of June to August, 

 the fishery of the coming season is sure to be abundant, whilst the reverse is 

 the case if they appear in numbers in November and December. On the 

 arrival of the octopods 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 stony localities prepared for them by 

 the fishermen, in order to facilitate the depositing of their spawn. 



In deep water they are taken by means of earthen jars strung together and 

 lowered to the bottom of the sea, where they are allowed to remain for a 

 certain number of hours, and into which the fish introduce themselves. Fre- 

 quently from eight to ten octopods are taken from every jar at each visit of the 

 fishermen. In less deep water earthenware drain pipes are placed side by side 

 for distances frequently exceeding half a mile in length, and in these also the 

 octopods enter, and are subsequently captured. As they are attracted by all 

 white, smooth, and bright substances, the natives deck places in the creek, 

 and hollows of the rocks with white stones and shells, over which the polypi 

 spread themselves, and so are caught from four up to eight at a time. But the 

 most successful manner of securing these fish is pursued by the inhabitants of 



