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CHAPTER X.

CEPHALOPODS, ETC., AS FOOD.

Dried cuttle-fish as food-Consumption of octopods and polypi in the countries bordering on the Mediterranean-Prices in Tunis-Mode of capture and preparation-Squid used for bait by the North American fishermenCuttle-fish bone and sepia-Large consumption of dried cuttle-fish in China-Species of Echinus eaten-Palolo viridis, a kind of sea-worm, edible; fishery for, in the Pacific.

THE flesh of the large cephalopodous animals was esteemed as a delicacy by the ancients. Most of the eastern natives, and those of the Polynesian Islands, partake of it and relish it as food. They are exposed for sale, dried, in the bazaars or markets throughout India, and in the Food Collection arranged at the East End Museum, Bethnal Green, dried cuttle-fish may be seen among the articles of Chinese, Japanese, and Siamese food. In Chili the flesh is also considered a delicacy, and in Barbados the bastard cuttle-fish or calmar (Loligo sagittata, Lam.) is used as an article of food by the lower classes. But from my small experience of this kind of diet, notwithstanding the assertion of the learned Bacon in his "Experiment Solitary touching Cuttle Ink," that the cuttle is accounted as a delicate meat, and is much in request, I should say that it

is as indigestible and innutritious as it is certainly tough and uninviting.

Cephalopods are eaten at the present day on many parts of the Mediterranean coast. Mr. Vice-Consul Green, in a recent report, furnishes some novel and interesting particulars as to the fishing and trade in cephalopods in the Tunis waters. Octopodia and polypi are the trade names under which these cephalopods are known in the Levant and Greek markets, where they are solely imported for consumption during Lent, the orthodox Church not including them in the prohibition against the use of fish in seasons of religious abstinence. They prefer rocky shallows, and visit those waters, coming from the open sea, in the months of January, February, and March. A considerable number of octopodia, however, remain permanently near the shores; but it has been observed that when their fry, locally called "muschi," are numerous from the month of June to August, the fishing of the coming season is sure to be abundant, whilst the reverse is the case if they appear in numbers in November and December. In a good season the several villages on the island of Karkenah supply about 3000 cwts., and the Jubah waters a third part of this quantity. In an average year the yield will be under 2000 cwts., and in one of scarcity 1000 cwts. On the shores from the village of Luesa to that of Chenies, in the Gulf of Khabs, the natives collect from four to five cwts. of cuttle-fish a day during the season; but this supply generally serves for the consumption of the regency. The remaining coast and islands may be calculated to furnish a minimum of 650 to 700 cwts. of dried molluscs.

The Tunisian Government claims a third of all the polypi fished upon its coast. The selling price varies con

siderably, according to the size, supply, and demand, but at Sfax a pair of them may cost, as circumstances rule, from 6d. to Is. 3d.; however, the preparatory maceration, by beating on a stone slab or rock, required before drying entails a small additional expense, and brings the extremes of low and high prices to 25s. or 50s. per cwt. To the cost price must be added an export duty of 5s. Id., and the purchaser ought to be careful to receive his merchandise from the seller during dry weather, as a damp day will add from four to five per cent. to the weight of every

cwt.

From two to three public sales of dried polypi take place in a season on the island of Karkenah; these are regulated according to the abundance of the fish. The average price of the last six years has been-during the first sale, from 45s. to 50s. per cwt.; second sale, 35s. to 45s.; third sale, 25s. to 30s. A few first parcels, in order to secure an early market, have, however, occasionally been sold for £5 the cwt.

Polypi have hitherto been prepared for exportation by simply salting and drying them, but it is now proposed to carry out on a large scale an experiment, which appears to have proved successful, of preserving them either in oil or brine, after subjecting them to a preliminary scouring and boiling process.

Malta receives the largest share of the Tunisian polypi, but they are only sent to that island for ultimate transmission to Greece and other parts of the Levant. Portugal is one of the few countries that competes with Tunis in supplying the Greek markets with polypi. In Greece they are either sold, after being pickled, at from £12 16s. to £15 95. the cantar of 176 lbs., or in their original dried state at from £12 to £14, but these prices fluctuate ac

cording to the favourable or unfavourable results of the season's fishing.

On the first arrival of the octopodia in the shallows they keep in masses or shoals, but speedily separate in search of shelter among the rocks near the beach, covered by only one or two feet of water, and in the stony localities prepared for them by the fishermen in order to frustrate the depositing of their spawn. 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 8 to 10 polypi are taken from every 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 substances, 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 up to eight at a time. But the most successful manner of securing them is pursued by the inhabitants of Karkenah, who form 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 50 each, and from 8 to 10 of these bunches, called "risina," are secured daily during the season by every boat's crew of four men.

The squids form an important element in the North

American fisheries.

The common Loligo is the favourite food of the cod, and is therefore itself fished for bait.

banks of New

One-half of all the cod taken on the foundland are said to be caught by it. When the vast shoals of this mollusc approach the coast, hundreds of vessels are ready to capture them, forming an extensive cuttle-fishery, engaging 500 sail of French, English, and American ships. During violent gales of wind, hundreds of tons of them are often thrown up together in beds on the flat beaches, the decay of which spreads an intolerable effluvium around. They must themselves be consumed in enormous numbers, for it has been estimated that a single squid will lay in one season 40,000 eggs.

The cuttle-fish are frequently left stranded on the beaches, and are also caught by fishermen, who obtain two valuable products from them-the so-called calcareous bone (which is much used by chemists, when pulverized and tinted, and sold as coral tooth-powder), and the ink-bag, which forms the sepia colour of artists. On the coasts of Brittany and La Vendée, the flesh of this polypus is eaten and appreciated, but on many other coasts it is disdained. Much depends, however, on its culinary preparation, which is somewhat difficult.

Dried cuttle-fish form a large article of export from Japan to China. They are called susume, and are brought chiefly from Esasi, Matsmai, and the west coast of Yesso, Fugaro, and Yetzidzen, generally during February and October, and the prices paid vary from 14 to 16 dollars. Small quantities brought to Hakodate from Sado Island, situated near the west coast of Niphon, are said to be of very good quality.

To show the extent of the Chinese trade, it may be stated that in the quarter ending June, 1872, the imports into three of the Chinese ports were as follows:

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