Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1884-02-20
HOLDING FAST TO LIFE.
Experiences OF n Fisherman with Crea
lures that are Slow to Die.

Experiences OF Fisherman with Crea-
lures that are Slow to Die.
"Yon will hardly credit it," said a
Staten Island fisherman whom New
York Sun reporter talked with, "but
the head of a turtle will retain very
marked interest in existence long af-
ter its body has been served up in soup
and steaks believe it is a well
known fact, but | only discovered it
six months ago. l found friend en-
gagged in shelling a small turtle.
Now he said, putting the head on the
dresser, that will be alive and active
tomorrow morning OF course |
laughed at him, but | agreed to call
the next day and test his prophecy.
Next morning my friend asked me to
step into the kitchen. The head was
still on the dresser, and though it had
been separated from the body for at
least sixteen hours the eyes were wide
open and bright. Take care exclaim-
ed my friend, as Iput my finger near
the mouth. His warning came not
second too soon. The head of that
turtle absolutely jumped at me. Where
its motive power came from | cannot
explain, but it moved two inches TO-
ward me, and snapped at my finger
with a viciousness that could not be
surpassed by cornered rat. think
it had been holding back its life, as
men Of strong will power, for fixed
purposes, have been known TO do, un-
til an opportunity offered to revenge
the destruction of its body, for after it
had made the effort its eyes grew fixed
and iilmy, and in an hour it was dead
Next to the turtle in obstinate persis-
tence in living must come the eel. In
recognizing the extraordinary length
of time through which an eel clings to
its being under the most unfavorable
condition of all-the removal of it
from the water, a state of affairs suili-
cient in itself to produce death.
81 do not believe that cutting an
cells head off or seyering the tail the
same way shortens his life much. lie
dies because he is out of his element,
and had he been left unmutilated he
would live but little longer, Of course,
if you put him in sections on the fry
ing pan, you place upon him burden
greater than he can bear, and he dies
quickly; but the lesser injuries, affect
ing only the tail, head, or skin, seem to
me to make but little impression. The
fact is an eel can live an eXtraordina-
rily long time out Of water. They haD-
itually leave of their own accord and
wander in the fields that slope down
to creek not far from here | have
often met in the early morning eels
making their way down to the creek.
They had spent the night in the mead-
ows in search of worms and were 60
ing back. Whether an eel or any 9TH
er fish is capable of feeling acute pain
l cannot say. This can vouch for:
When an eel has been skinned and be-
headed, and seems to be quite dead, a
little salt rubbed on the surface of the
body will be apt to restore life very
quickly. a snake dies quickly under
injuries. The average snake will not
live three minutes after his head is
crushed with a stick. The eye Of the
wild bird remains bright for some time
after you have shot it, and is likely to
cause tender-hearted sportsman on
his first cunning expedition good
deal of self-reproach.
~ do not know whether at any time
clans have any self-asSertive existence
but that, in captivity, the clam is able
to make himself excessively disagreed
bic | have had occasion to know Not
long ago l brought home big basket
of CLANS. placed them in dish
pail, and left themIin the kitchen. In
the middle of the night my wife arous-
ed me, saying that there were robbers
in the house. With pistol in my
hand | wandered from room to room.
| could hear most extraordinary
groaning and grunting, with an occa-
sional watery gasp, but, for the life of
me | could not imagine where it came
from. AT last | went into the kitchen
and the mystery was solved. Each
clam, with his shell wide open, was
making almost as much noise as a
bullfrog in full vigor. | filled the pan
with fresh water, which brought eth
er contentment or death; that is to
cav II nliipt el them