AN OCTOPUS.

Globe, Volume XXII, Issue 1928, 29 April 1880, Page 3

AN OCTOPUS.

Occasionally fishermen at Lyttelton have reported hauling up in their nets something resembling this species of fish, but on Tuesday forenoon a young gentleman at Port got a scare from one of these eightfanged monsters he will not readily forget. It appears that he was gathering mussels on the rocks nearly opposite to the Lyttelton Orphanage, and was in the act of breaking some of the shell fish off the side of a rock when a boy standing behind and above him drew his attention to a peculiar fish close to the rock on which the young man standing. Turning round, the gatherer of mussel bait beheld what appeared to be "a head as big as a bullock's," having monstrously large eyes. These orbs of vision seemed to be glaring wildly at him, and simultaneously several arms were extended towards him. Each one appeared to be several feet in length, as near asho could judge during the very brief examination held. Before retiring from his position on the rock—which it is needless to say he did hurriedly—he observed that there were rows of suokers, resembling egg cups in shape and size, covering the unfriendly arms of the stranger. The moment he stepped back from the rock the octopus coiled itsolf up and sank. The spot at which this occurred is adjacent to the bay frequented by bathers at Port.