Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1877-11-13

WITH TEN TERRIBLE ARMS THIRTY
FEET LoNG-REMARKABL LocoMO-
TON. - & II
A st. Johns IN. F. correspondent of
the New York World gives an interest
ing account of a huge cuttle.fish (some-
times called devil-fish) which was re-
Gently shipped from that place, to New,
York. The monster was driven ashore
during a heavy gale, and found in an
exhausted condition by two fishermen
who loaded their boat with the carcase
and took it to St. Jehn's, where it was
exhibited for while and attracted much
attention.
The correspondent says: ~
1 have carefully taken the measure
ment Of the monster, and the following
are the dimensions: The two long ten
tacles are each thirty feet; the body ten
feet in length, making the total length
from the termination of the outstretch-
ed long arms to extremity of the tail
forty feet. The long tentacles are thin
and tough as leather, being only five
inches in circumference, except at the
extremities, where they broaden out and
are eight inches in circumference. The
body at its thickest part is nearly seven
short arms, which at the point of juno
ton with the central mass are seventeen
inches in circumference, but at their
extremities taper down to fine tongue
like points, having rows of suckers on
one side, tried to count these suckers on
one arm, which is eleven feet in length,
and made out 250 large and small SO
that the eight arms must contain 1000
suckers; the long arm perhaps $50 more.
The head or central mass, from which
the arms radiate, is four and half feet
in. circumference. Unfortunately the
delicate eyes had been destroyed on the
voyage or on putting it on board but
the socket of one measured eight inches
in diameter. -, RI.
The appearance of the animal when
in the water is described by the fisher.
man as extraordinary. The tail had
got fast on rock as it was swimming
backward, and it was powerless. In it!
desperate efforts to escape the ten arms
darted about in all directions, lashing thu
water into foam, the thirty foot tenacle
in particular making lively play as i
shot them out and endeavored to get
purchase" With their powerful suck
ers, so as to drag itself into deep water
1t was only when it became exhausted
and the tide receded that the fishermen
ventured to approach ii. Its mode o
moving through the water is remarka
BILE. Behind the head on one side /,
tube or funnel is visible, which is con-
nected with the bronchial or breathing
organs. The water is admitted to thes
organs by valves, which allow it to en-
ter on the muscular. dilation of the body
and when the water SO admitted ha
communicated its oxygen to the bloo'
it is expelled by this tube, just as il
the case of fishes it is driven out at tn
gills. aafn. ~5a.. -.AErEgys. 4
It also moves forward by means o
the fin-ike expansions of the mantle
1t can also use its arms and legs an,
crawl along the bottom of the sea will
its head downwards. The backwar,
motion, however, is that which is mos
graceful and natural in the giant squid
When moving through the water it
arms are folded together. When grasp
ing its prey it shoots out one of tn
long, 1.-THE tentacles which are endowed
with high degree of muscularity, ant
as quickly as cat could clap her paw
on a mouse the extremity of the arm
covered with suckers, seiZes the Objec
by the suckers, the pistons of which ar,
quickly retracted and the sharp, dentic
ulated edges are pressed with enormous
force on the surface of the victim. Their
the other arms Irvine round and GRASP
it, and from that corpse like embrace
there is- no escape. Altogether, the gi
gantic cuttle-fish is the most wonderful
of all denizens of the great deep.