The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-10-22
CATCHING THE DEVIL FISH.



The enormous octopus In the New York
RUM the largest ever caught is attracting
s,.ution. victor Hugo has vividly described
A.. nr.digious power Of this devil ol the sea.
v.r' It's long feecrs and great. muscular arms.
,..,I with rows Of suckers. which nstdn-
,.,.,u.lv fastening to any living thing they
,h drag the victim under water and b.
d.in ~ feed the monster which. hidden IN the
e,.yiaD of "A rock lies ia wait for his prey.
Mr.. than 22pO years ago Aristotle recorded
observations OF the octopus, or polypus which
,hsv that hr had then better knowledge OF
II. yav- than any other writer since his day.
H. fish has long l-en known To- naturalsts.
rn,,tircs among Egyptian hi"roglyphios. ana
from a knowledge " Il was probably originated
H.. ilea of the Lernean Hydra. whose heads.
wen cut of 10y Hercules, grcw again.
IT, ISL an Ort1uus was exhibited in the aqua
rum in Boulo-n". and ia 1872 the first spcci-
r,.n was received in the Brighton Aquarium
II was very small. and was caught in lobster
rr al Ti-thournr. Like all ~ its Kind it dis
H. 'hr light amt soon built for hsolf - lr0tto
ofu,ne o,-tcrs. which the attendants called
n, Cottage hy the Sea. and IN which it lay
uar'iv concealed most OF the tune. only occa-
tualy emerging from its hiding place. In
January. 1873. It was swallowed whole 10y a vo-
~ luu- dorHsh.
devil fish r,w IN this city is an enormous
a. .n..u IT, body is ten feet long, it has two
tn'a thirty feet long and eight arms eleven
t.i.ug Tho tHuiarlcs are long. thin. 81 tri-
an..Ilr form. and tough ~ leather. and are
A. 1t the On g. with over loo suckers each.
T. arms have two rows OF suckers running
A. r.n'Ire length. An actual count was not
n D.. nut s estimated that altog Their II has
t.y. 70 2On1 AMI . 500 suckers. The sucking
d ,-Hr, composed of a mus u,ar membrane.
,r.umfcronce IL thick and 1eshy. The
our circle Of the cup is horned
rus sharply serratcd around its edge
Wnen they -trik" victim the sharp
points penetrate the skin. and the cups. 10y
air exhaustion from within and conserve ut
rr -sure Of the outer atmosphere. adhere Arm
Is 20 any substance to which they are applied.
t. object thus secured 50 firmly bound 10y
tasc terrible arms thatno struggle Tor freedom
can be- made. is carried 81 It's mouth and torn o.
fureds before IL is devourod. Thrhral Is about
largo AMI staring. and the heuk. formed almost
eNncty Ike a parrot =, is very sharp and very
powerful
The action Of the octopus when soizing it,
prey is like thnt Of a cat bouncing upon %
mouse. but the struggle is shorter. and there Is
something dcvilish IN It's movement n II plungcs
f. fierce black horny beak deep into the quiN-
eIng Il sh u H. yet living y etim.
TN" invurite position Of the O. t0pus Is 20 CON
cca rs body well hack In the crcvire ui n ro X
v ia Two or three Of It's arms holding on firmly
/ fh' -le-, It's other arms and tcnttrles float
gr,at eyes in tho shadow " it, cave maintain
H.. vgilanf watch Crabs Holsters oysters
an all crust trea and mollusks are i- faNorite
food. small fish n also has great liking for.
sua 10 one II either OF these ventures within it,
Tea'h, quick ~ a flash Of lightning the long
NLlv-Iike tentaclr strikes i. in another second
o., arms have seized and cnfolded II. and II is
D. iuE ievoured. The fish eats it, food Ike "A
1ird' II rrrv and its beak il strong enough 10
heel
Of turtle IL possesses. also. the chameleon
power ot being able To change It's color at Will.
which it is hiding. and like n human bens il
tgfl- pale from exhaustion or fear. and Pushes
d when angry or excited. When captured and
a. from the water. II turns 20 an ashy white.
the SuN recently contained an account Of the
feain OF AN Indian woman who had been seized
~ ono Il these terrible creatures while she
VIZ bathing in the sea near Victoria. The
inter hrlpl-Ssncss OF "A human being when in
tIc devil fsh's grasp may be imagined when il
j. said that the floating power of u man If sell
dom over six pounds. and that the grasp Of a
mod rate si2ed octopus holding fast e rock Is
I forty and NIFTY pounds. In the Brighton
Aquarium n small one was seen drawlns to-
ward II a stone weighing between forty and
Mr. Thomas Boalc, who was the surgeon Of a
South sea whaling ship. and who aiterward
printed History OF the sperm Whale. gives
sn Interesting account 81 his encounter while
on the BOnin islands with small octopus
which had been washed ashore and left by the
rceeding tide 1t seemed frightened al first,
and endeavored TO escape, and in trying t. de-
I i'm it he pressed on one Of its legs with his foot
il continues; But, although | made use Of
considerable force for that purpose, liz strsnEi Ii
wiz 50 great that II several times quickly lih.
erai"d its member in spite OF all the Efforts
could employ IN this way on wet, slippery rocks.
j Low laid hold Of one OF iis tentaeles with
e. HAM, o, ANA hes nr wa1 go 30 tdr a
l-Iuder by our united strength, soon
pNrit powerful Jerk, wishing To discngage It
a. Ia a IN lv -fsl q iuf
u" moment after. Nh" apparently enrag nd ami
nal liit"d us head with IT, large eyes projecting
rom M" middle uf n- body and letting go IT'S
] had previously bard 10 the shoulder. ami
eng wan ~ suckers 70 I Win great power.
e .eayoring 10 get lis beak. which could now
i-'Ign 70 nitSP a sensation Of horrot
is industrious animal had affixed itself So
irmIy 20 nay arm, It's cold. Shiny grasp WIS eX-
lr'u is tkonng and | Immediately 'al,r 90
huutio the Captain who was -ear .hius flr
.- az some distance. 20 come AMI r"l"us"
D." Irfiu INV disgusting h--ailHnt. "" quickly
arrived, Hf.l taking me- down To- the hoHf. uur-
u wen Wis employ ~ h""pn% tlr h"nk
away from my hnnd. quickly rc"nsed me- 10y
O. ~ no iornlyntor With boat kiul"
IT, -anlma mus have measured arro-- IT, eN-
t'ni 4 arms about four ieet. while IT, body Wa-
larger ihHu a ldrg' clrnch-d hand. This
l't' fellow which 1t took two men to destroy
~u"l b" Wa out II h.r native clement Wits
90 Us ohe-trniA the sl1e oi the one now ~ NV
IT," oc'olu-hos another means - eof-pro'oc-
'u. whlHu, though never iHihug in Tn" water
u -' 70" II" j. prlNd"i Wiil r"uiarkahlt
s'stN DiunonY called me- inh Nns, winch
j l..iw Oh dense iDid. Nhenir.shrn'l ol
o-' li'"l h' discharge tii- .n -u. h lnNu'Itr-
Is 10 fiI-0Nnr tho water lYr 20 our-. Ieianr -uH.,
$40 and around him. and under cuv,r of 10,
h"t iarnn"7- he prope.7 himself swiftly non
hero -rraks Of the use Of this ink for writ
ink PURPOSES, amt from 1t is now prepared tu,
% Isl b. 4 D.