THE CUTTLE AS A DELICACY. 165 



Portugal coast, the catch and consumption of cuttles is large, amounting 

 to nearly a million pounds a year, most of which is sold in Greece after 

 being salted and dried or pickled. 



Oephalopods are largely used by the inhabitants of the shores of the 

 Adriatic, being eaten by all classes of the population, though despised 

 even bj - the poorest in the north of Europe. They are generally cap- 

 tured by means of pronged spears, occasionally in nets, and not unfre- 

 quently in the basket-traps set for other fish. The common squid (Loligo 

 vulgaris) is the most valued of all as an article of food, the average annual 

 catch amounting to no less than six hundred tons, valued at £12,000. The 

 flesh is fried in oil, and is described as sweetish, but as hard as leather. 

 It is indigestible, even in the best of seasons; yet, to judge by the high 

 price it realizes, it must be a favorite with the richer classes. 



A writer in the London Field recently described the amusing scenes 

 witnessed at the fish-market of an out-of-the-way port of southern Italy, 

 and gives a paragraph to our subject which is worth quoting: 



" In one of the tubs were cuttle-fish, really beautiful in their trans- 

 parency, floating gently on the surface. The other tubs were filled with 

 octopus, lively and full grown, their long arms feeling tenderly over the 

 sides, some writhing horribly, and others quietly reposing, their arms 

 coiled at their sides, exposing the dread suckers in every fold, the body 

 in shape and color resembling a large, rough eocoanut, with evil, protrud- 

 ing, observant eyes, looking straight to the front, at the same time vigor- 

 ously discharging water from the pair of blow-pipes like a steam-pump 

 during their short and quick respirations. When a purchaser arrives and 

 makes a selection, the vendor adroitly seizes the fish by the back of the 

 neck, the arms twisting and extending in all directions; it is dropped 

 into the scales, and, if approved of, the salesman gives it a twist, almost 

 turning it inside out, killing or disabling it in a moment. The octopus 

 is eaten with gusto in southern Italy ; but to see a mess of chopped full- 

 grown octopus served with tomato sauce is really trying. When very 

 small the octopus is used as a garnish for fish, and when fried crisp it 

 might be mistaken for macaroni. The octopus lias a strong beak, like a 

 parrot, and is especially fond of crabs. It is often caught by tying crabs 

 to a string and dropping them on the clear gravel bottom, where they are 

 quickly seized by the octopus, who holds on steadily ; meanwhile lie is 

 quietly drawn into the boat." 



One sort of cuttle (Octopus punctatus) serves the double purpose on 

 our Pacific coast of bait for the fisheries and food for the Indians. For 

 the latter purpose it is. chiefly sought in Puget Sound, where the coast 



