358 ANNUAL REPORT SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, 1916. 



for them by the fishermen in order to frustrate the depositing of their spawn. 

 Polypi are talcen in deep water by means of eartlien jars strung togetlier and 

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

 tain number or hours, and in which the animals introduce themselves. Fre- 

 quently from 8 to 10 polypi are taken from every jar at each visit of the 

 fishermen. In less deep water earthenware drainpipes are placed side by side 

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

 enter and are taken by the fishermen. As they are attracted by white and all 

 smooth and bright substances, the natives deck places in the creeks and 

 hollows in the rocks with white rocks and shells, over which the polypi spread 

 themselves and are caught from four up to eight at a time. But the most suc- 

 cessful manner of securing them is pursued by the inhabitants of Karkeuah, 

 who form long lanes and labyrinths in the shallows by planting the butt ends 

 of palm branches at short distances from each other, and these constructions 

 extend over spaces of two or more miles. On the ebb of the tide (the fall here is 

 about 10 feet) the Octopodia are found in the pools inside the inclosures and are 

 easily collected by the fishermen, who string them in bunches of 50 each, and 

 from 8 to 10 of these bunches, called " risina," are secured daily during the 

 season by every boat's crew of four men. 



The simplest method, probably, is that used by the Filipinos. Well 

 do I recall my first octopus hunt with them in the southern islands. 

 It was a dark night. The good ship Albatross lay peacefully at 

 anchor some lialf mile off a Moro village, whose dim outline was 

 faintly silhouetted against the sky. We had just finished our dinner, 

 returned to the deck to take up submarine light fishing, when we 

 noticed a torchlight procession proceeding from the village down the 

 sand spit that fringed a reef. The orderliness of the procedure soon 

 changed to what one at our distance might have considered some wild 

 ceremonial dance. 



Our curiosity being thoroughly aroused, we low-ered a boat and 

 soon joined the party of men and boys, who were clad in the con- 

 ventional G-string costume, each provided with a torch varjdng from 

 about 4 to 6 inches in diameter and probably 10 to 12 feet in length, 

 made of slender segments of dried, split bamboo, carried on the 

 left shoulder, held by the left hand, and lighted in front. The 

 right hand was reserved for the ever-present bolo or a spear. The 

 light of these torches would show through the shallow water and 

 thus reveal the luckless devil fish, which seemed to have forsaken 

 the secure caverns of the reef and to haA^e gone a-hunting on the 

 shallow flats within. They are curious creatures, and their humped- 

 up attitude and large eyes render them rather mirth provoking at 

 such times. But there is little time given to contemplating, for a 

 native bolo or spear brings him in and he is promptly strung on a 

 rattan string, where he may continue to squirm with his fellow 

 captives until dead. 



We secured enough specimens that night to enable us to spare 

 some to the cook, for Ming assured us that they were " vely good." 

 So they were — rather, I should say it was, for I chewed a single 



