Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1891-09-11
The Stingray, Dreaded by Tropical
Fishermen-Se Sea Devils Thirty
Feet Long Which Attack
and Carry on Vessels.

mot the least unpleasant of them is
the 'stingray, which is quite common
in Florida waters. Imagine a gigantic
fiat fish with great Heshy wings; give it
a breadth across of seven feet, a 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. 1t is slow of motion, lying
on the bottom and enjoying life harm
lessly unless interferred with But once
disturbed it is a 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, and 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struck in it cannot be withdrawn except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
gaugreues the wound it makes, so that
blood poisoning is apt to set in, and fire.
quently the loss Of limb, il not Of life,
results. myself once met man who
had nearly died from stepping upon the
dart of a dead stingray, which, though
its former owner had long since passed
away. stuck up in the sandy bottom Of
shallow lagoon. My friends foot was
thrust through by it while he was wad-
ing for crabs. When one OF these erca-
lures is dragged into boat the utmost
care has to be exercised lest it wound Its
captor by the switching OF its tail. One
who walks in the shadows Of southern
river finds it very unpleasant to see oc-
casionally a 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
'clam cracker, becauseit is able to break
the shell of the toughest Quahaug as
easily as the operation can be performed
with hammer It's upper jaw is furn-
isbed 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 squds furnish a 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 aud
quite unlike anything else, the muscular
tissue composing the wings being OF 50
coarse a texture thai, after the flesh has
been boiled, one can dissect the fber'
out upon ones plate. These wing are
merely pectoral fins enormously devcl.
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-Paci6c 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 fnuy tribe.
"Much of the romance 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-thcy possess a
natural ferocity which impels them to at
tack, or they may be fierce in self de-
fense. The sea devil will always run
away IL it can, but il IS most pcrilous
beast to encounter when dcien ling itself.
To begin with it is Of enormous size,
often measuring thirty feet from tip to
tip OF its mighty wings, and its muscu-
lar power is so enormous that many 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 specl.
men captured of Barbados which was
OF such vast bulk that seven oxen were
required to draw it over the land.
"The sea devil will undoubtedly assa;!
boats II attacked, and stories are told OF
its swampiDg 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 heshy protubcr
ances extending forward from its head,