3 



lesser Octopus," as it never attains the size of the common 

 Octopus. It is also distinguishable by the single row of 

 suckers on each arm. 



Occurrence. 



During- the spring, Eledone is brought in from depths 

 of 30 to 35 fathoms, at Plymouth and Port Erin, by 

 trawlers and other fishermen. At this season, young 

 specimens have also been taken occasionally in a few 

 inches of water, at low water of spring tides, at Port 

 Erin. The Eledones brought up in the trawl are probably 

 caught while adhering to or creeping over stones and 

 locks, or while swimming near the sea bottom. They 

 seem to occur in small groups of two to six in number. 

 At Port Erin and Plymouth they are also taken in crab 

 and lobster pots. These, at Port Erin, are put out at 

 depths of from six fathoms inside the bay to twelve 

 fathoms outside it. Although Eledone is always fed on 

 Crustacea, when kept in captivity, and careful examina- 

 tion of about fifty specimens has shown no other than 

 Crustacean food in the gut, yet occasionally at Port Erin, 

 the fishermen have taken Eledone on hand lines baited 

 willi pieces of herring and mackerel. The mouths and 

 oral surfaces of such specimens are lacerated by the hook, 

 showing that the Eledones actually attack the bait. 



During the winter Eledone leaves the shallow water, 

 round the South coast of Devonshire, and seeks the 

 warmer and deeper water in the centre of the channel. 

 Specimens taken in this season, from deep water, 

 generally die before the trawlers get back, probably from 

 cold. With the warmer months Eledone conies further 

 in, and so from May to September it is taken in 

 Plymouth Sound, at an average depth of eight fathoms; 

 and in a hot summer it is unusually abundant. Some- 



