The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1878-09-21
A Living Fishing Line.

Down among the sea-weed stems and
pointed rocks we perceive long, black,
tangled string, like a giants leather
boot-lace set to soak; let us trace it in
its various folds and twists, and olsen
tangle some of it; we shall then have in
hand tough, slippery, india-rubber-
like substance, which might well be
pronounced a sea-string, and classed
with the long trailing weeds among
which we have found it. A sea-string
it is, but not weed; in fact, a living
lasso, capable of consuming the prey it
encloses within its treacherous folds.
From twenty to thirty feetis no uncom-
mon length for this artful animated
fishing line to reach, but its diameter
rarely exceeds an eighth of inch. 1t
has mouth, however, capable of con-
siderable distension and holding power
What can appear more innocent than
this delicate-looking creeper trailing
here and there as the heaving water
wells and flows as the tide comes in?
Let an unwary tube-dweller, lulled into
u false security, stretch forth its tenta-
Giles to meet the welcome wave, and a
pointed head is adroitly insinuated
The mouth effects its tenacious grasp
on the yielding tissues, and the tenant
of the tube becomes food for the
Nen,erteS B0rLaSii, for such is the name
of this cord-like freebooter Mr.. Kings
bury appears to have taken more than
ordinary interest in the habits of this
strange creature. Speaking of it, he
inquiries, els it alive? it hangs helpless
and motionless, mere velvet string,
across the hand. Ask the neighboring
annelides, and the fry of the rock
fishes; or put it in vase at home, and
see. 1t lies motionless, trailing itself
among the gravel. You cannot tell
where it begins or ends. 1t may be a
strip of dead sea -Himanttalta
tOred-or ChOrda flunl-or even a tarred
string. So thinks the little fish who
plays over it, till he touches at last
what is too surely a head In an in
slant bell-shaped sucker mouth has
fastened to its side; in another instant,
from one lip, concave double probos-
els, just like tapir's (another instance
of the repetitions of forms), has clasped
him like finger. And now begins the
struggle, but in vain. He is being
played with such fishing-rod as the
skill of Wilson or Stoddart never
could invent; living line, with elias
ITCHY beyond that of the most delicate
hy-rod, which follows every lunge,
shortening and frightening, slipping
and twisting round every piece of
gravel and stem of sea-weed with q
firing drag, such as no highland wrist
or step could ever bring to bear on sal
mon or trout. The victim is tired now,
and slowly yet dexterously his blind as
sailant is feeling and shifting along his
side till he reaches one end Of him; and
then the black lips expand, and slowly
and surely the curved finger begins
packing him end foremost down into the
gullet, where he sinks inch by inch till
the swelling which marks his place is
lost among the coils, and he is proba-
bly, macerated into pulp long before
he has reached the opposite extremity.
Once safe down, the black murderer
contracts again into knotted heap,
and lies like boa with stag inside
him, motionless and blest. "-P0pular
Educator.