The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1891-09-02
MARINE MONSTERS.
A TRIBE OF FISHES WITH
WEIRD CHARACTERISTICS.
The stingray, Dreaded by Tropical
Ffshermen-Sea Devils Thirty
Feet Long Which Attack
and Garry Oh Vessels.

S'o' w O w % a1uSIou Ot0T ASpoAtcA'
"Certain members of the family are fa-
miliar enough under the name oil
skates Their only fault is ugliness OF
aspect. You have to 60 to tro pical
waters in order to find the dangerous
and otherwise extraordinary members OF
this tribe.
''Not the least unpleasant of them is
! the 'stingrsy,' which is quite common
in Florida waters. Imagine a gigantic
flat fish with great Aeshy wings; give it
breadth across of seven feet, length
of twelve feet and powerful tail armed
with an ivory dart ten inches in length.
Such is this remarkable animal, which
has caused the death of many an unwary
fisherman. It is slow of motion, lying
on the bottom and enjoying life harm
lessly unless interferred with. But once
disturbed it is dangerous creature to
encounter. When alarmed it lashes its
tail, and woe to him in whose flesh the
caudal weapon sticks. The latter is a
needle-shaped instrument, with the
keenest possible point, apd on both sides
for its entire length it is armed with
barbs, pair upon pair, so that when once
struck in it cannot be withdrawn except
by cutting it out. Of its kind it is the
most formidable weapon with which any
animal is equipped by nature.
"This 'sting,'as the fishermen call it,
is chiefly dangerous because OF the slime
with which it is covered. The latter
gangrenes the wound it makes, so that
blood poisoning is apt to set in, and fire.
quently the loss of limb, if not of life,
results. myself once met man who
had nearly died from stepping upon the
dart of dead stingray, which, though
its former owner had long since passed
away. stuck up in the sandy bottom of a
shallow lagoon. My friends foot was
thrust through by it while he was wad-
ing for crabs. When one of these orea-
lures is dragged into boat the utmost
care has to be exercised lest it wound It's
capror by the switching of its tail. One
who walks in the shadows of southern
river finds it very unpleasant to see oc-
casionally section of what has appeared
to be the bottom, perhaps several feet in
diameter, move slowly away lust as he is
about to step upon it. The animal as.
sumes likeness in color to the sand or
mud where it finds its home, in order
shat prey may approach it without
inspecting the presence of the lurking
monster.
"The stingray is sometimes called the
sclan cracker becauseit is able to break
the shell of the toughest ouahaug as
easily as the operation can be performed
with hammer. Its upper jaw is furn-
ished with a sort of mosaic pavement of
teeth, with which it is able to smash the
hardest substances. To oyster beds the
creature is deadly enemy, and where
its species are numerous the bivalves have
to be protected with fences. Crabs, sea
snails and sqwds furnish large part of
its diet. When it loses its sting by an
accident another one grows. 1t is sold
for eating purposes in the New Orleans
markets. The meat is very peculiar and
quite unlike anything else, the muscular
tissue composing the wings being of so
coarse texture that, after the flesh has
been boiled, one can dissect the fbers
out upon ones plate. These wing are
merely pectoral fins enormously devel.
oped. They, as we'll as similar parts of
skates and other rays, are sold in con-
siderable quantities at San Francisco to
the French and Italians, who value them
for the table. Skate tails are largely
eaten on the Pacific coast by the Chinese
and Mexicans.
The stingray produces from three to
nine living young at brood, but its
cousin, the formidable sea devil gives
birth to but single offspring at time,
in which respect it is probably unique
among the fnny tribe.
"Much of the rt nance that has been
written about the sea devil or true devil
fish is based on fact. 1t is one Of the
most dangerous monsters of the deep, at
all events when attacked. Animals are
formidable in two ways-they possess
natural ferocity which impels them to at
tack, or they may be fierce in self de-
fense. The sea devil will always run
away if it can, but it Is a most perilous
beast to encounter when defending itself.
To begin with it is of enormous size,
often measuring thirty feet from tip to
tip of its mighty wings, and its muscu-
iar power is 80 enormous that msny, cases
are we'll authenticated where it has
actually carried away small vessels, hav-
ing become fouled with the anchor lines.
There is on record an account of speci-
men captured of Barbados which was
OF such vast bulk that seven oxen were
required to draw it over the land.
1.-THE sea devil will undoubtedly assail |
boats if attacked, and stories are told of
its swamping such small craft by extend
ing one of its great wings out of the
water and dragging crew and bark under
the sea with flap of the giant fin. 1t
has two great horns or feshy protuber.
ances extending forward from its head,
which assist it in grasping its prey. Being
carnivorous in its habits there is every
reason for supposing that it would de-
your q man if such victim should hap
pen into its clutch. Accounts are given
of its assailing divers, swooping upon
them from above, so that the unfortu-
nate beholds living cloud settling over
him with eager jaws to gobble, while
helpless to escape the horrible embrace.
However, it is doubtful if there is any
truth in such tales. Doubtless, with its
bulk and double 6eshy Deak