, 1877-11-24
Aua sInOrInOnS 9ncysilS;.:,.

'"c hIWAlIIHnl, NUen tNc neat Ot the
cask was removed, the brine and other
prescrvativc agents employed soon filled
the building with ,puugcnt odorS. The
devil fish itself had been duodorizrd, but
at the expense OF the surrounding liquid.
The creature had mungled its tail among
nhc rocks whcle it was caught, and its
Nody WAS also deeply gashcd, Several of
its long tcntaclcs had been chopped into
two or more pieces, but all the parts had
been packed in the CaSk ard were rradi-
)y fitted to cach other. The eyes of the
fish had been destroyed, tle cartilaginouS
sockets alone remaining; but it is the
intention Of the proprieto,s OF the Aqua.
irum 10 replace them with eight.inch
eyes ot glass. The head had been entire.
ly severed from the body, but the gela
tinous masses have now been so closely
joined that the separation is not apparent.
AS THE MONSTER LAY ON THE FLOOR.
OF the Aquarium its proportions could
for the first time be accurately measured.
Its two long tcntaclcs each stretch out
more than twrnty.tOur feet, and the
length of the body from head 20 tail is
nine feet; so that the total length oI the
creature is rather more than thirty.thret
tcct. The turheSt spread of its tentuclcs
is nearly fifty feet The breadth OF the
body is about four feet, and it is nearly
"a foot in thickness. The eight short
arms vary in length from seven to nine
feet.
1t is impossible, however, by this
sta cmrnt ot measurements to convey
any idea of the size and torn OF the
creature. Undoubtedly, it does not APP
proach in bulk or weight the proportions
OF the living monster. The tentacles ARE
ilabby and shrunktn and the body had
collapsed appearance. Those who
have framed their faith on the monster
described by Victor Hugo, or who expect
to see such creature as the fisherman Of
Catalina saw cntungled in the rocks, will
almost certainly be disappointed at first
sight Imagine Goldfish tongue, swollen
Thn enormous size, with long trailing,
ofricaky arms ola hvd color attached to
uens root, and this is a rough picture ol
ashc squid. The original color of the fish
was said to have been dusky red, but it
has now been blcached by the brine and
other agentsto dirty white. The body
looks like bag of pulp coated with
tough elastic skin. The back and belly
are lighter coIoIed than the sides, which
are tinged with dusky pink, The ten
tncIes are brown in parts, but the prevail
ing color is s0dden white. The crush
ed sockets OF the eyes scarcely protruded
from the head, and there is no trace LETT
ot the tube or funnel on the side of the
head through which the water was eX.
PEELED as If by hydraulic engine. The
beak of a squii resembles that of par
rot; it is of dark bony substance, and
is placed on the under side OF the head
equi. distant from the roots OF the tenta
ces. The beak of this specimen is brok'
en-, but 1t has been so replaced that its
original position and structure arc readi'
ly seen. The tongue is like that of n
snail, perhaps three inches in length, and
coated with fine teeth. The stomach can
be seen through the vents IN the puIpy
bag which covers it and few bits OF
thin brown bone, the remnants of the
gills, can be pulled out to view by any
body who cares to introduce his hand
into the cavity of the head.
THE DEvu..F FISH Is NOT A ''sEA VAMPIRE"
As Hugo Declares but his fIightiul
description of the process by which the
hydra incorporates itself with the man
and the man becomes one with the hydra
is scarcely more appalling than the real
manner of the victims death. The prey
of the devl.fsh is drawn under water by
the resistless suction Of its wiry tenta-
cles, and the arms are wound closer aud
closer about the helpless body, pressing
it tightly to its own gelatinous mass.
Then the beak of the fish is brought in
play, aud the softer portions of the body
nre torn out and crushed between the
mandiblcs. There is no doubt that the
squid catches and swallows piece.