222 NATURAL HISTORY OF OUR SHORES 



eight feet, so that it travels at an amazing rate. It is 

 represented swimming in Fig. 95. 



In the Channel Islands, and on the opposite coast of 

 France, octopus fishing is quite an institution, both pro- 

 fessional and amateur fishermen catching them for bait 

 for their conger lines, and also for table, for the snow-white 

 flesh of this grotesque animal is certainly very palatable, 

 although somewhat " firm." 



There are several methods of taking the octopus, the 

 most common one being to seek their hiding-places, beneath 

 boulders and in rock fissures which hiding-places are 

 usually betrayed by a kitchen midden of crab and cockle- 

 shells at the entrance and then drag them out with gaff 

 hooks. 



The gesticulating, remonstrating quarry is then taken 

 with the hand, and dashed unmercifully against a rock. 

 The mantle is turned inside out, and the viscera and ink 

 bag removed. Quietness now supervenes, and the octopus 

 is basketed. 



Another method is to repair with a boat to localities 

 they are known to frequent, then to lower a stone, with a 

 net bag containing broken crabs, by a strong rope. Some- 

 times half-a-dozen octopus will fasten on to this bait and 

 get hauled up into the boat, where boat's tiller and sea- 

 boots are brought to bear upon them. 



Yet another plan, much used in the autumn, especially 

 on the north coast of Jersey : in this particular locality, 

 and at this time, they sometimes swarm on the sea surface, 

 swimming in the method last described, no doubt on their 

 way to some more genial shore. Men armed with long 

 bamboo rods, with large hooks at the end, station them- 

 selves on outlying rocks, and simply hook them out as 

 they pass. I have seen many tons' weight caught in one 

 locality by this method, and being used to manure the land. 



Much has been said about the danger of bathing where 



