The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-08-12
WRITER SUNF AIR TO PO0R OCTOPUS EXPERT DECLARES
DeviIfiSh, Without Bones, Is Not Man-Eater Of Ro-
 mantle Novels


 SAN FRANCISCO, August 1l.-(By Associated Press.) s.)-Devilfish, better known as "polypus octopus hong kongensis," are being caught at Santa Cruz, California, like flles in a trap, and the tentacles are being shipped to fish markets in San Francisco. New York and other cities, where they are sliced and sold at from 50 to so cents a pound, ac cording to C. B. Florence, secretary of the California State Fish ex- change here MT. Florence says the sliced octopus tentacle makes a sue cuIent table delicacy when properly fried.
 While fishermen emulate Victor Hugo and other writers of fiction by telling of terrific battles with giant deyilfish, usually ending by explain ing how the fish reached one of it's arms above the water and wrapped it around the boat, breaking the craft in two, MT. Florence ana Prof. harold Heath, department ot zoolo- sy, Stanford university, California, state that this is physically impossi- bic. Professor Hea.a describes the octopus as being "ot shy and re- tiring disposition"
 De,ilfish WithOut B0nes.
 The deviIfish has no bones or no structure of any kind" says Mir. Florence. 1t cannot swim, but can OnIy float on the water, or propel H. sell on the floor of the ocean by means of fastening it's suckers on q roek ana pulling itelt along. Each of s.i, i,,ht pl is f h cup-sndped SUCK CTS, and these form q vacum when fastened or an ob- lect. iSherLnen haul them out of the traps with their bare hands and throw them in boxes in a manner that is extremely undiEnitied to a fish that has an age-old flctional reputation ot being man-killer and boat -smasher,'
 In the picturesque food shops that line the narrow streets of San Fran cisco's colorful Chinatown, the ten tacles oI the deViltlsh may be seen l.unelns GIOn HUUho dIouS oIdC many Uther oLlbIes that are strange to the native American. on the floors of the wholesale fish houses here the ueYiltish may be seen stacked in Jelly like neapS, With tentacleS, in some cases, extending 10 feet across ll,c feet Irodl edcu side Of the small, eSS-shaped head.
 The traps at santa Cruz, where the majority of the deVilfish are caught on the Pacitlc coast, are built like fly traps, only much larger. The traps are mdue of wire, with cone snaped entrance for the octopus to squeeze through in order to reach the bait liked for him. He has no tr>u- ble in entering the Vernarrowlng g luunel, out unds It impossible to leave. Usually, fishermen state, t%o or more are caught in the same trap.
 Instead of being fighter, the devlllIsn protects itself from attack by changing it's color and hiding rom It's enemy, according to ProfeS- sor Heath. He says:
 O O O
 G-.aA:ge Their Color.
 "iu a5L1ty ana naturally acute scUscs should be added their surpris- i-t, aUIlity to cnanse their color to 1tt.tmCnIzc with that of their sur 4odudIneS. su that prey anu enemies d.Ine ale usually unaware of their proximity. 1nls color change is LaSed upon nnnute elastic sacs filled tlln pigment and supplied with mus cles tUt causing their expansion.
 As deNlItisn crawlS about Cn the sea bottom its color can be seen to chdnSe III d tMinkling from deep cuocOlate through dull red and to sruy. IL sand or rock IS encountered d CAi tHp JOul uGy JllS ShlH IS uSudIJy tnroWn into Jumps anu ridges, so that under all conditions the body is practically invisible"
 However, if Protessor Heath's opinion Of the devil1ish as a food Is needed, the fish will continue to be eaten by its celestial admirers and Dy limited few who crave the un- usual. rroperly to place before the -AlI~rA'an rplcurean d dish of ten uef Uc,opus, Professor Heath says. something must be done ito destroy Us ruDUer-lIKe consistency"