OCTOPODID^. 19 



several villages on the Island of Karkenah supply about 3000 

 cwts., and the Jubah waters a third part of this quantity. On 

 the shores from the village of Luesa to that of Chenies, in the 

 Gulf of Khabs, the natives collect from 4 to 5 cwts, of cuttle-fish 

 a day, during the season ; but this supply generally serves for 

 the consumption of the regency. 



" The Tunisian Government claims a third of all the polypi 

 fished upon its coast. The selling price varies from 25 to 50 

 shillings per cwt. Polypi are prepared for exportation by simpl}^ 

 salting and drying them. Malta receives the largest share of 

 the Tunisian polypi, but they are only sent to that island for 

 ultimate transportation to Greece and other parts of the Levant. 



" Portugal is one of the few countries that competes with Tunis 

 in suppljdng the Greek markets with polypi. In Gi'eece they 

 are either sold after being pickled, at from £12. 16s., to £15. 9s., 

 the cantar of 176 lbs., or in their original dried state, at £12 to 

 £14, but these prices fluctuate according to the results of the 

 season's fishing. 



" Polypi are taken in deep water by means of earthen jars 

 strung together and lowered to the bottom of the sea, where they 

 are allowed to remain for a certain number of hours, and in which 

 the animals introduce themselves. Frequently from eight to ten 

 polypi are taken from everj' jar at each visit of the fishermen. 

 In less deep water earthenware drain-pipes are placed side by 

 side, for distances frequently exceeding half a mile in length, 

 and in these also they enter, and are taken by the fishermen. 

 As they are attracted by white and all smooth and bright sub- 

 stances, the natives deck places in the creeks and hollows in the 

 rocks, with white rocks and shells, over which the polypi spread 

 themselves, and are caught from four to eight at a time. But 

 the most successful manner of securing them is pursued by the 

 inhabitants of Karkenah, who foi'm long lanes and labyrinths in 

 the shallows, by planting the butt-ends of palm branches at short 

 distances from each other, and these constructions extend over 

 spaces of two or more miles. On the ebb of the tide (the fall is 

 here about 10 feet) the octopodia are found in the pools inside 

 the enclosures, and are easily collected by the fishermen, who 

 string them in bunches of fifty each, and from eight to ten of 

 these bunches, called ' risina,' are secured daily during the 

 season, by every boat's crew of four men." — Simmonds, Gom- 

 mercial Products of the Sea. 



AMPHiocTOPUS, Fischer, 1882. Proposed for 0. membrmiaceus, 

 Quo3% the body of which is provided with a thin membrane on 

 either side, not reaching its extremity. 



PTEROCTOPUS, Fischer, 1882. Arms united to their extremity 

 by a membrane. 0. tetracirrhus, Delle Chiaje. Mediterranean 



