The Octopus Scientists (Scientists in the Field Series) by Montgomery, Sy (May 26, 2015) Hardcover

Scientists in the Field

by Sy Montgomery

With three hearts and blue blood, its gelatinous body unconstrained by jointed limbs or gravity, the octopus seems to be an alien, an inhabitant of another world. It’s baggy, boneless body sprouts eight arms covered with thousands of suckers—suckers that can taste as well as feel. The octopus also has the powers of a it can shape-shift, change color, squirt ink, pour itself through the tiniest of openings, or jet away through the sea faster than a swimmer can follow. But most intriguing of all, octopuses—classed as mollusks, like clams—are remarkably intelligent with quirky personalities. This book, an inquiry into the mind of an intelligent invertebrate, is also a foray into our own unexplored planet. These thinking, feeling creatures can help readers experience and understand our world (and perhaps even life itself) in a new way.

Genres: Nonfiction, Science, Animals, Childrens, Middle Grade, Nature, Picture Books

Unknown Binding

First published May 5, 2015

About the author

Part Indiana Jones, part Emily Dickinson, as the Boston Globe describes her, Sy Montgomery is an author, naturalist, documentary scriptwriter, and radio commentator who has traveled to some of the worlds most remote wildernesses for her work. She has worked in a pit crawling with 18,000 snakes in Manitoba, been hunted by a tiger in India, swum with pink dolphins in the Amazon, and been undressed by an orangutan in Borneo. She is the author of 13 award-winning books, including her national best-selling memoir, The Good Good Pig. Montgomery lives in Hancock, New Hampshire.

Reviews

[Lata · Rating 4 out of 5]

My child recommended this to me. He loves reading nonfiction titles, and will often foist his selections on me. I get the heebie jeebies when it comes to creepy crawlies and tentacled creatures, so in my ongoing effort to deal with this, I opened the book.

A-mazing photos! The book is about the creatures, but it's also a profile of a small group of scientists looking for and studying octopuses (it actually is 'octopuses' according to the scientists and author of this book) in the Pacific. The group brings diverse experience together, and they encounter a variety of octopuses. Even with the heebie jeebies, I could appreciate just how weird and wonderful and smart the tentacled creatures are.

[Cheryl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Long, for a book marketed to children, but wonderful and thorough for all ages. Even though I'm not particularly interested in ocean themes, I was excited to read this for the group theme in Children's Books, because I love works by Sy Montgomery. This is just as engaging & fun as I thought it would be. It's also very informative; not only did I learn a lot about octopuses, but I learned a lot about what it's like to be a naturalist. There's such attention to details, for example of how it feels to 'swim' in shallow water, or what strategies to use to find the octopuses, or how much is learned by negative results... I almost felt like I was there on this island near Tahiti with Sy, photographer Keith, and the teams.

And now I love the "Scientists in the Field" series ... what a great way to inspire kids to get into a career where they can have adventures, indulge their natural curiosity, and help save the world all at the same time. I particularly appreciate the 'meet the team' spreads ... whether you want an advanced science degree or you want to be a tech or divemaster, whether you want to work with the critters in the wild or you want to use computers or other technology, there's a career for you.

Complete appendixes, including 'thank yous' to the octopuses themselves.

I would absolutely buy this whole series for a school library or for a homeschooling association, and buy individual titles as my children expressed interest in them.

Forgot to mention, I also noted that the wonderful Tracking Trash: Flotsam, Jetsam, and the Science of Ocean Motion is part of the series!

[Manybooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

REVIEW OF THE KINDLE EDITION

Yes to a certain point, I guess that technically speaking, The Octopus Scientist: Exploring the Mind of a Mollusc could maybe still be considered as a picture book (as there of course is a specific combination of text and images, of Sy Montgomery's printed words and Keith Ellenbogen's accompanying photographs). However, I for one would in fact rather label The Octopus Scientist: Exploring the Mind of a Mollusc as a sparsely but enlighteningly illustrated and also rather text-heavy science and zoology themed textbook for older children from about the age of ten onwards and as such not so much as something for the so-called picture book crowd, as a book suitable to and for younger children.

And yes, in my humble opinion, The Octopus Scientist: Exploring the Mind of a Mollusc is indeed also very much suitable for interested teenagers and adults, since Sy Montgomery most definitely presents an absolute and informative plethora of interesting information and knowledge about molluscs in general and in particular featuring the fact that especially octopods and squid are incredibly intelligent, that they have their own personalities, that they engage in problem solving, that they are able to lastingly recognise individual people and are also curious but at the same time and equally total masters of disguise (and thus also very difficult to study in their natural habitats, in the ocean).

A wonderfully informative reading and learning experience The Octopus Scientist: Exploring the Mind of a Mollusc has been for me (and indeed, even as an educated adult with advanced university degrees, much of the presented and featured details about octopuses was and remains relatively novel information to and for me). And yes, I do therefore and without reservations very highly recommend The Octopus Scientist: Exploring the Mind of a Mollusc and indeed for both in-class and at home use (and really, most of the Scientists in the Field books I have so far encountered have been total treasure troves of knowledge), with my only and indeed very much minor complaints being that I do wish the bibliography at the back featured more included tomes and that in the Kindle edition of The Octopus Scientist: Exploring the Mind of a Mollusc, Keith Ellenbogen's photographs appear rather too small for my personally aesthetics (and that in my opinion, this also kind of might have the tendency to focus attention away from them, to make the photographs appear a trifle insignificant and sometimes as rather visually blurry and lacking in detail).

[Philip · Rating 3 out of 5]

Christmas gift from my daughter-in-law, who knows my tastes well - thanks, Natalya!

Have long enjoyed both Sy Montgomery and the "Scientists in the Field" series, and definitely have a thing for octopuses, (NOT "octopi," as this book makes very clear, as one does NOT add Latin suffixes to Greek roots; some folks are even pushing now for the more fully-Greek "octopodes"). That said, first two-thirds of the book involve the author and the science team she's working with in Moorea not finding any cephalopods, and so more just introduction to tropical reefs and octopuses in general, much of which I already knew through my years of diving in Taiwan. So I ultimately couldn't rate this one as high as some of the author's others in this series, which covered animals I was less familiar with, and therefore learned more about, (i.e., tree kangaroos, tapirs, freshwater tropical fish, and snow leopards). However, will definitely continue to read more of Montgomery's work, both in this series and elsewhere.

[Krista the Krazy Kataloguer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have long been a fan of Sy Montgomery. Anything she writes is fascinating, because she makes you feel like you're right there with her. This book, an entry in the excellent Scientists in the Field series, is no exception.

Here, she accompanies Dr. Jennifer Mather and her team on the island of Moorea, part of French Polynesia, to study the Pacific day octopus. They have two weeks to find at least two locations off the island's coast where octopuses live. They find one location in the first week, but will they find more, with only one week to go? The suspense mounts.

I learned so much about octopuses here. Though their brains are the size of a walnut, they have amazing intelligence, and are able to solve problems, recognize faces, and remember events and experiences. They live only 3 to 5 years. They have special cells in their skin that allow them to change into a wide variety of colors, the meanings of which scientists are still trying to determine. (See the 2-page spread on pages 42 and 43 for the range of colors and patterns one octopus produced.) They can regrow arms they've lost to predators. They're neat freaks, and like to pile up the shells and carapaces of their prey neatly near their dens. Because they have no bones, they can squeeze themselves into very small cracks and crevices to hide. How to tell a male from a female? The female has suckers all the way to the tip of her third right arm, whereas the male has a ligula (for reproduction) at the tip of his. They're incredible animals!

My favorite chapter in the book is the one in which Montgomery describes making friends with several octopi at the New England Aquarium in Boston. Reading it made me want to go there and try my luck too. I think octopi must be very perceptive, perhaps even psychic. They seem to instinctively know who they can trust. Jennifer and her team actually had personality tests to determine if individual octopi were shy or bold, friendly or hostile. And I loved how they named the octopi they found off Moorea after family members and pets.

I also love the photos here. The cover has a beautiful photo of an octopus who appears to be smiling, even laughing, with contentment (even though I know that what I'm interpreting as a mouth isn't a mouth). On pages 25 and 39 are photos of an octopus that appears to be standing on its tentacles. It was watching the scientists in this position!

I really must read more about this creature, who is far from the menacing giant whose tentacles snatch people off of ships, as depicted in science fiction. I'll start with Dr. Jennifer Mather's own book, Octopus: the Ocean's Intelligent Invertebrate. If you've never liked reading about the ocean's animals, this book is sure to hook you. Highly, highly recommended!

[Joan · Rating 4 out of 5]

The photographs in this book are spectacular! Remember when looking at the octopuses (correct spelling, not a Latin word. It is a Greek word) that the majority of the photos were taken underwater! They are so clear! The colors are amazing, but the animals themselves deserve the credit there. I had no idea how easily the octopus can change their colors, in a tenth of a SECOND! They have extremely complicated cells in layers and manipulating these different layers give you an incredible variety of coloration. Red usually means emotional, such as upset. White often means that you're looking at a relaxed octopus. OK, fascinating, right? now for the shocker: scientists think octopuses are color blind! So how do they change their colors to work as camouflage??? Octopuses are the most intelligent of the mollusk family and are pretty smart by most standards, in spite of having a smallish brain. They have a huge number of nerves running through their arms.

Although Montgomery didn't say so point blank, I sensed that this was not really a successful expedition for her. However, she did get a beautiful book out of it, so maybe that made the expedition worthwhile for her. She convinced me. I had no idea how complicated octopuses are. Hopefully they will have time to study these even with the damage done to oceans due to climate change. Note this last sentence is my comment, not one from the book. Highly recommended as a very easy way to get a kid to be amazed and fascinated!

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sy Montgomery has written another exciting and informative book for young readers. The Octopus Scientists brings readers along on a tropical search for the illusive, intelligent octopus.Readers of other Scientists in the Field books will enjoy adding this to their collection. Adult readers of Montgomery's magical The Soul of An Octopus will enjoy the beautiful photographs and travelogue feel this book provides. All readers will come away appreciating this amazing creature.

[Dolly · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have really enjoyed reading Sy Montgomery's science books and this one does not disappoint. One of the Scientists in the Field books, it is great for older children and adults, too.

I have also read Dr. Montgomery's book, The Soul of an Octopus: A Surprising Exploration Into the Wonder of Consciousness, and watched her talk about her experiences here, and while some of the information overlaps (see p. 32), the majority of this book focuses on this expedition to French Polynesia, specifically the island of Moorea.

Big, beautiful color photographs, along with an informative but not boring narrative makes this an engaging and educational book about these wonderous cephalopods.

The description of the expedition reads like an exciting diary, with ups and downs, amazing finds and big disappointments.

One of the aspects of the octopus hunting I found to be true with my own ocean explorations is that the times when you aren't actually searching for something, but just observing the environment, are often when you see the most.

interesting quotes:

"The ocean is the world's largest wilderness, covering 70 percent of the surface of the globe. But this vast blue territory is even bigger than it looks from land, or even from space. It's a three-dimensional realm that accounts for more than 95 percent of all livable space on the planet - and most of it is unexplored." (p. 1)

"To both hunt and hide, an octopus must choose wisely among many options, and it has evolved a big brain to help it do so." (p. 2)

"Nobody in the sea is tidier than an octopus!" (p. 5)

"An Octet of Octo Facts:
1. The seas are home to more than 250 species of octopus
2. The plural of octopus is octopuses, or octopods
3. An octopus has three hearts
4. The octopus's blood isn't red like ours, but blue
5. If a predator bites off an octopus's arm, the octopus can regrow it
6. Octopuses are members of one of the most successful groups of animals on earth - the mollusks...within this broad classification, or phylum, octopuses belong to a smaller group, or class, called cephalopods, which means 'head-foot,' because their limbs attach directly to their heads (an arrangement that means you find the octopus's mouth in its armpits)
7. Octopuses live fast and die young
8. An octopus can taste with its skin" (p. 11)

"The laboratory is about control - but the field is about serendipity." (p. 17)

"...it's important to know where the octopus is - but it's also important to know where they aren't. It's all part of the research. Every time we get in the water, we know a little more about what octopus habitat looks like. Every time we put our heads in the water, we're closer to finding what we need to know." (p. 49)

"Hawaiian myths tell how our current world is really the remnant of a previous one, and the only survivor of that prehistory is the octopus." (p. 58)

"As is often the case in science, our field expedition generated more questions than answers." (p. 66)

[Abby Johnson · Rating 3 out of 5]

While I would definitely hand this to young readers interested in science who are curious about what field research is like, I guess I expected more... octopuses? I get that field expeditions go how they go and this is a great portrait of the experience, but it seemed like half the book was about the scientists looking for octopuses and not finding them. I did enjoy reading about the octopuses they did find and I learned a lot, but I wanted more of that. The underwater photos are quite good, although some photos are not labeled and occasionally I wanted for a photo that was not there (example: the Picasso triggerfish, whose beauty is described but no photo is included).

Sy Montgomery has written some of my favorite books in the Scientists in the Field series and I had high hopes for this one, but it just didn't measure up.

[Samantha · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think I would have enjoyed this book more had I read it before reading "The Soul of an Octopus." Montgomery's affection for these animals comes across so strongly in that book, and I didn't get quite the same feel in this one. It's not to say this book isn't excellent, or worthy of consideration. When I finished "Soul of an Octopus," I wanted to go out and find one and have its suckers on my arms, despite screaming at the touch of a stingray in aquariums before. I didn't have the same reaction here.
The pictures are gorgeous, although I would have appreciated captions on every photo. Still, it's a worthy entry in the "Scientists in the Field" series. If you're able, I would recommend the adult title over this one.

[LauraW · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a gorgeously photographed book on a great topic. The only problem with it is that it is a bit too much for the audience that I assume it is designed for: older elementary through high school students. I like that the author introduced each of the researchers and explained how they became interested in octopuses. And it is helpful to detail the struggles that scientists have when doing field research. I must admit, however, that I skimmed many of the parts about the wonders and the beauty of the world in which the octopuses live. I was eager to hear more about the octopuses, not so much the different fish and other denizens of the deep. Still, I am enjoying these science books that I have been perusing lately.

[Andrea Lorenz · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Sy Montgomery and I love the Scientists in the Field series. The whole series is a fantastic look into what life as a scientist is actually all about. I had no idea that octopuses were so mysterious and hard to study in the wild. I learned a ton about octopuses (and was that much more inclined to read Montgomery's adult book about the species) and about how to study ocean creatures. Two thumbs up. Give this to budding naturalists.

[Nettles · Rating 4 out of 5]

Octopods are rad 😭💛 love those funky lil dudes

[Jim Erekson · Rating 3 out of 5]

This recent installment in the Scientists in the Field series, is set entirely in Mo'orea, French Polynesia! It includes incredible tips on how to encounter octopuses in the lagoons there. (Plus the author corrected the misconception that the plural is 'octopi'--the root in words like platypus and octopus is Greek, not Latin).

Like other books in the series, the author & photographer shadowed a group of scientists during their field work. However, unlike Call of the Osprey, Eruption! , or Stronger Than Steel this book does not have a strong narrative arc. The interest is mainly in whether the crew can actually locate the octopuses they want to study--and they do. It's pretty simple.

[emyrose8 · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5- I love octopods, but this book was a bit too disjointed for me to give it a higher rating. It's written by an author who went on a research expedition with some octopus scientists/researchers just for a few weeks. The main chapters are narrations of what happened in the field, and chapters are separated by researcher bios, interesting octopus facts, details on the research station, etc. I didn't like the abrupt ending of the chapters. Some of them had just gotten to the good part and I would turn the page, expecting to hear even more interesting stories about the trip, and would find pages on a totally different topic. IMO the text got bogged down with the boring details and didn't share enough of the interesting stuff, like what they found out about the octopods' personalities or their eating habits. Sure, I learned interesting facts, but I could've done so by reading a different book. The pictures are neat, but a lot of them don't have captions so I had to guess how they connected to the narration. I might check this out from the library to share with my students, but I have a feeling most will see the large pages of tiny print and just look at the pictures, maybe reading the interesting fact page.

[Heidi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Scientists in the Field is a series that I absolutely adore. I have yet to read one that I didn't thoroughly enjoy. I learn a lot and the photographs are fabulous. The Octopus Scientists is no different. The story of the four scientists along with the author and photographer's journey to a Pacific island to study octopuses and their personalities and feeding habits drew me in from the get go (especially the photographs of the beautiful island). The author also includes several sidebars with extra information about the scientists as well as octopuses in general. I was fascinated to learn that what I've always thought of as the octupus 'head' is really more of a torso. The author's experiences meeting individual Giant Pacific octupuses at an aquarium showed clearly that octopuses really do have their own personalities. For budding scientists or young readers fascinated by the natural world will find this a compelling look at the realities and excitement of field work.

[Judi Paradis · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Scientists in the Field series is just wonderful--readers get to follow working scientists as they try to figure out how nature works in all sorts of fascinating locales. This one takes you to a South Pacific island as Sy Montgomery (oh, how I love her) and a team of marine biologists try to figure out what octopuses are all about. It turns out that they are super smart; there are many kinds; and they seem to have specific personalities. I want to be a marine biologist (or maybe an octopus) now. Great way to get kids really invested in the world around them. Highly recommended.

[Alicia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Having read Soul of an Octopus, I knew enough about these beautiful and mysterious creatures that it didn’t take me by surprise, but again, when Montgomery has a talented photographer to bring along to amass images of the topic, it adds a layer of awe. This book absolutely is enhanced by the underwater images of the sea and octopuses (and I learned a bit about Greek too).

As with many of these scientist in the field books, it was simply too short but she did bring us readers valuable information both about animal intelligence and conservation of the sea.

[Linda Russo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting. It's kind of how we communicate with aliens in sci-fi movies.

[Michelle Stimpson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed the narrative style of how a group of octopus scientists conduct fieldwork, but the photographs are what make this book really special. They are stunning.

[Julie Suzanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm about octopused out! But if another book is published soon with new findings from the octopus scientists, I know I'll read it. So this is my third book in about as many months that I've read about octopuses, all 3 from Sy Montgomery. You'd think it gets repetitive, but it doesn't. Her life, her expeditions, and octopus facts and descriptions are endlessly fascinating.

How this differs from The Soul of an Octopus: A Surprising Exploration Into the Wonder of Consciousness:

--It's made for a younger audience
--It's filled with vibrant, professional, breathtaking photos
--It's about ONE particular expedition in the ocean, not Sy's life or her experience with the octopuses in the aquarium.

This is an excellent nonfiction choice for 11-14-year-old kids who are CURIOUS, inquisitive, interested in science, or who want to know what a scientist does on the job. The narrative details 2 weeks of real fieldwork that scientists do, with actually brief and entertaining background on how each scientist arrived at this particular spot in their careers. Interspersed in the narrative are easily digestible interesting facts about octopuses including why the term "octopi" is incorrect.

However, Montgomery is a good writer. Her writing style isn't modified in any way for a younger audience (I know because I've now read three of her books in quick succession). I wouldn't think this book is accessible to any of my students who are struggling readers. The vocabulary is rich, and it takes for granted that readers have great vocabularies and the desire to look up the definitions of words unfamiliar to them (there are minimal supports by way of text features).

I'd recommend this fascinating book to students who are in 7th and 8th grade HONORS Science.

[Chrissie]

***************************
*The Hawk's Way: Encounters with Fierce Beauty TBR
*The Octopus Scientists: Exploring the Mind of a Mollusk TBR

Other Minds: The Octopus, the Sea, and the Deep Origins of Consciousness 4 stars by Peter Godfrey-Smith will be of interest to many.

[Dana Berglund · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is difficult to categorize, age wise, but the print edition is about 80 pages, with photos and separations of text that make it accessible to a fifth grader. It is not, however, formatted as a traditional nonfiction text with bulleted lists and text boxes. It is much more of a narrative nonfiction, where you follow the author and the scientists as they explore the ocean and look for information about octopuses.
I loved it. I am now about to begin a longer (and new in 2023) book by one of the featured scientists in this book. The study of the octopus is ongoing and fascinating, and I highly recommend this book to anyone vaguely interested in oceanography or cephalopods, almost regardless of your age.

[James Biser · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an excellent recounting of groups of naturalists spending time in nature studying octopus. Sy Montgomery writes well and takes readers on the journey, learning how to observe and study the actions and lives of wild octopus. The book becomes educational experiences for the lucky readers of this book.

[Sam · Rating 3 out of 5]

A quick fun read about octopuses and coral reefs. Nice follow-up to my recent trip to MarineLab in Key Largo.

[Alice · Rating 3 out of 5]

Did you know that octopi have three hearts and blue blood, and a gelatinous body? Truly an amazing creature.

[Taylor Phillips · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is about scientists who work together to study the neat behavior of octopus! This book discusses the troubles the scientists ran into and the good times as well. The scientist finds that octopuses are very intelligent, fast, interesting and wonderful creatures. The book includes real pictures from the excursion. This book is full of engaging facts and again, detailed images to build knowledge. The book is separated into chapters for easy to access facts and stories. The words are written from an academic standpoint but are easy to read and interpret for children and people that are not experts in the science field.

I thought this book was interesting! I chose it because I am intrigued by sea life and wanted to learn more about octopuses. While the book was interesting, it took a while to read. There are a lot of words on each page. The pictures make it more exciting, but this should definitely be used for older grades if the teacher is using for a lesson. There were many interesting facts and stories in this book, like how the female will actually hold the male's sperm until it is right to form eggs. Then, she can re-activate the sperm herself and become pregnant!

I would use this book for gifted fourth graders and fifth graders. It would be a great book for learning to cite evidence. I would have to have a few copies of this book and separate students into small groups. One of the groups would be writing an informational piece using this book. They would need to include titles and subtitles and correctly site evidence of information. The student would need to understand that their whole paper cannot come from this book due to plagiarism so they will have to summarize or include things from their own schema or previous knowledge. The students would switch groups with each other so that they could all practice. The informational piece can be typed for milestone practice!

[Annette · Rating 5 out of 5]

THE OCTOPUS SCIENTISTS: EXPLORING THE MIND OF A MOLLUSK by Sy Montgomery provides a fascinating look at the world of scientists studying octopus.

Part of the Scientists in the Field collection, the author provides stunning photographs to go with the interesting and informative scientific narrative. The story follows a group of scientists at the CRIBE’S field station as they collect information about the elusive octopus.

In addition to the engaging story of scientific investigation, the book also includes pages focusing on the scientists and fact sheets providing in-depth information on topics such as creature camouflage.

Feature this book in a library display focusing on creatures of the coral reef. Be sure teachers are aware of this growing collection of high-quality science books. The entire Scientists in the Field collection is a great way to address STEM standards and encourage careers in the sciences.

To learn more about the Scientists in the Field books, go to http://www.sciencemeetsadventure.com.

To learn more about the author, go to http://symontgomery.com.

Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt on May 26, 2015.

[Arminzerella · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Octopus Scientists (a team of marine biologists, ecologists, and scientists) visits the CRIOBE research center in French Polynesia to learn about the different octopuses that make their homes in area reefs. Their objectives are to find octopuses in at least two different locations (close to shore) and compare them. When they find octopuses, they administer a “personality test” to each of them to see how curious/shy/outgoing the octopuses are and then they collect any garbage or “middens” around the octopuses’ territory (so they can compare what the different octopuses eat). Filled with octopus facts, and gorgeous underwater photographs of octopuses and other creatures that make their homes in and around coral reefs, this entry in the Scientists in the Field series should delight any budding marine biologist. Octopuses are fascinating and highly intelligent creatures and there is still so much to learn about them!

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This Children's nonfiction book in the "Scientists in the Field" series was written by Sy Montgomery, author of The Soul of an Octopus: A Surprising Exploration into the Wonder of Consciousness.

Illustrated by Keith Ellenbogen, a hugely talented underwater photographer, it tells of the author's participation in an expedition to the Island of Moorea, near the French Polynesian islands of Tahiti, to study the Pacific day octopus. The scientists determine the personality of individual octopuses, by observing their behavior when touched with a pencil's eraser. Scientists also explore what octopuses eat in the wild, by gathering shell middens piled near an octopus' den and identifying each type of shell.

This book introduces the scientific method to children in a cool and exciting way. What's more fascinating than scuba-diving humans swimming underwater to study octopuses in French Polynesia?