CEPHALOPODA. 



however, by a contraction of the animal, the moment 

 previous. A novice at the employment, is sure to 

 be grievously denied. An amusing anecdote was 

 current, when we were in the island, of a young cap- 

 tain, making some pretensions to fashion, having been 

 decoyed by some rogues of fishermen to accompany 

 them one morning on a Squid- jigging excursion. 

 Utterly unconscious of this peculiarity he went, and 

 the wicked fellows suffered him with much compla- 

 cency to draw up the first Squid : but lo ! in taking 

 it from the hooks, a torrent of ink was poured over 

 his face, frilled shirt, and white waistcoat, descending 

 in long streams even to his boots. It needs scarcely 

 to be observed, that this votary of the Graces hence- 

 forward relinquished Squid-jigging to more conge- 

 nial souls. 



It seems to be a species of this genus, which under 

 the name of Flying-Squid, is mentioned by Mr. 

 F. D. Bennett, as numerous in the vicinity of 

 the Sandwich Islands, where it is considered a lux- 

 ury by all classes, and when fresh and well cooked, 

 is excellent food, in consistence and flavour not 

 unlike a lobster's claw. This species has the power 

 of taking flying leaps out of its native element; Mr. 

 Bennett says, that in lat. 28. to 31. N., long. 154. 

 to 161. W., Flying-fish, and (nearly allied to these 

 in their movements) Flying Squid, were also numer- 

 ous. During a calm, the latter appeared in larger 

 flights than they had ever before witnessed, persecu- 

 ted probably by the Albicore ; they rose from the sea 

 in large flocks, leaping over its smooth surface, much 



