114 OCTOPUS. 



Verany says, that although the Octopus usually hides itself in 

 the crevices of rocks, which the elasticity of its body enables it 

 to do with great facility, it sometimes frequents sandy bottoms. 

 On these occasions, as he has several times observed, it covers 

 itself with debris by means of its suckers, and thus hid, patiently 

 awaits its prey. The Poulpes are fished by means of an edible 

 morsel, attached to a line and slowly moved about their retreat. 

 An individual having enveloped the bait in his arms, is gently 

 drawn sufficiently near to the fisherman to enter a small hand- 

 net. In summer, the young octopods are caught by means of a 

 line armed with several hooks garnished with red cloth. By 

 quickly drawing in the line, the animals may be captured. This 

 is considered a fine pastime for the fine summer evenings at 

 Nice. The Octopus retains his vitality for a long time out of 

 the water, so that the fisherman is compelled to kill him at once 

 with his knife, to prevent escape. 



The meat of the Octopus has a well-marked taste, and is ex- 

 cellent when young. That of the Sepia and of the Calamary is 

 preferred to it, but it is more esteemed than that of the Eledone. 



The largest Octopus seen by Verany was over three yards in 

 length, and weighed 25 kilogrammes ; it was captured by a fisher- 

 man with his hands only, after a fatiguing struggle. 



The action of the suckers of the Poulpe upon the skin, the 

 serpentine motion and muscular force of its arms, and its hideous 

 aspect, have caused to be exaggerated, says M. Verany, the mis- 

 deeds of this cephalopod, which is stupid and incapable of 

 harm. 



Mr. Jeffreys, in his admirable "' British Concholog^y," states 

 that the Octopus feeds principally on bivalves. The heaps of 

 shells round their dens, which are uncovered during the recess 

 of spring tides at Herm, are enormous ; in one of these heaps, 

 more than two thousand shells were counted, principally species 

 of Tapes. 



0. tuber culatus, Blainv. is, according to Jeffreys and others, a 

 mere variet}'. 



O. SALUTII, Verany. PI. *>;">, fii>. s. 



Bod} 7 more rounded, covered with very irregular white verru- 

 cose spots. Head smaller, in proportion to the body ; one 



