FOOD FROM THE MOLLUSCA AND RADIATA. 441. 



Cephalopoda. — " Cuttle fishes are very common in the . 

 Mediterranean, and are highly prized by the Neapolitans. 

 The modern Greeks also make use of them, and especially 

 the Octopodia, as a principal article of food ; they dry them 

 in great quantities and store them away for use, to be 

 boiled or fried. Several kinds of Cephalopods are eaten 

 abroad. The Octopus vulgaris is eaten when young and 

 small at Nice, where it is more plentiful in the market 

 than at Genoa, and if it weighs less than a pound and is 

 still tender it is much esteemed. The flesh is said to, 

 have a peculiar taste, consequently that of the cuttle 

 fish and calmar (Loligo) are preferred. At Naples they 

 are sold ready cooked. They are also found regularly 

 exposed for sale in the markets of Smyrna and the 

 bazaars of India, and the North American Indiaijs are 

 also partial to them."* It is also one of the great treats 

 of the natives of Madrid ; they are either broiled on a 

 gridiron or stewed in red wine in an earthen jar. The 

 Italians fry them in oil and they taste like skate. 



The most largely distributed of the class of cephalo- 

 poda is the Sepia officinalis (Lin.). It is seen in numerous 

 shoals in spring and summer, frequenting all the coasts 

 of Algeria. In October they seek deep water, from 

 which they do not emerge until the month of May to 

 seek favourable situations, with water of a density and 

 temperature suitable for depositing their myriads of eggs 

 among the algse. It is an esteemed food much sought 

 after by many, the flesh being considered savoury and 

 delicate. 



Other species esteemed for the delicacy of their flesh 

 are Loligo vulgaris, Lamarck, also very common in the 

 Mediterranean, and Loligo parva, Kondelet, a smaller 

 species, well known to the Italian fishermen by the 

 name of " Calamaretto," and to the French sailors as 

 " Casseron." 



The fishery for octopus or devil fish in Eastern Asia 

 is of great importance. In 1873, 9,000 boats were 



* LoveU'B " Edible British MoUusks." 



