CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME 27 



from the body. The eyes are very large, with protruding lenses. The 

 funnel is broad and thin, not extending to eyes. 



Cvrroteuthis macrope. — This is a rare species previously only 

 reported from San Diego. In September, 1932, a specimen taken by 

 Santa Cruz fishermen was sent by Louis Beverino to Mr. D'Acquisto 

 of Monterey, who brought it to Dr. Rolf Bolin of the Hopkins Marine 

 Station (Stanford University). The distinctive feature of this species 

 is that the umbrella is attached nearly to the tips of the arms, giving a 

 truly umbrella-like appearance. This species is rather small and sub- 

 gelatinous in consistency. The body is somewhat barrel-shaped and 

 fairly elongate with short broad oar-like fin on either side near the 

 posterior extremity. The head is wide, flattened and broadly con- 

 tinuous with the body above. The left eye is larger and more pro- 

 truding than the right. The funnel is large, broad and well-imbedded. 



Argonauta pacifica. — This is the pelagic form, commonly known as 

 the "paper nautilus" (not chambered or pearly nautilus) and is found 

 from Monterey, California, to the equator. It is of moderate size, the 

 male being much smaller than the female. In the male, the third arm 

 of the left side is entirely modified into the form of an oval sac for 

 reproductive purposes. In the female, the tips of the dorsal arms are 

 greatly expanded, wing-like, and their function is to secrete the large 

 fragile "shell" or egg case. The coloration of this octopus tends to 

 orange with fine purple dots, more crowded and larger on the back. 



Polypus leioderma. — This form is reported only from Alaska by 

 Berry. It can be readily recognized by the narrow and distinct keel- 

 like fold of integument that bounds the body laterally. The body is of 

 moderate size, wider than long, and nearly smooth except for a few 

 simple papillae on the dorsal surface. The head is short with large 

 protruding eyes. The arms are not very long; the umbrella extending 

 between dorsal and ventral arms for over one-fourth of length but 

 much shorter between ventral pairs. 



OCTOPUS TALES OF OLDEN TIMES 



A review of some of the literature of ancient times bearing on 

 octopi reveals some very interesting stories that were supposed to be 

 scientifically correct. These stories, which were written evidently as 

 truthful accounts, put to shame much of our present day fiction, which 

 is taken for granted as being based on little or no fact. 



Bartsch (1917), in his research for the Smithsonian Institution, 

 has published a collection of ancient facts and fancies about cephalo- 

 pods (squid and octopi), from which the following are taken: 



One ancient writer told of an octopus that was in the habit of 

 coming from the sea to feed on salted fish packed in pickling tubs, some 

 distance from shore. Repeated forays prompted the owners of the 

 operations to place a high fence between the works and the sea. How- 

 ever, the octopus surmounted this fence with the aid of a tree, and it 

 was only caught by calling dogs to their aid. The dogs surrounded the 

 marauder but were kept at bay by the terrible stench exuded by the 

 animal and the eight arms which whipped out at the dogs. It was 

 finally killed with three-prong spears. This octopus was reported as 

 weighing 700 pounds, and having suckers as large as urns. 



