Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-07-30

WAC oASOoScAy VI Iuo dCtual CdrCdSS OF SUCH Il
creature in Florida. According to his account
the Rev. DR.. Gordon of Milwaukee, president
Of the United States Humane Society, was fish
Ing In New River inlet, when the fukes Of his
anchor caught and pulled to the surface the
dead body OF a snake-like animal AZ feet long,
though lacking both head and tail. 1t was partly
decomposed and the belly was ripped open.
Two small fippers were remarked. With the
Intention Int s to preserve its bones it
was dragged up on shore and left to
rot but most unfortunately hurricane came
and this invaluable find was swept away BY the
waves and lost. Nevertheless the record of it
confirms the attitude Of science in this matter,
which has never denied the possible survival Of
certain gigantic reptilian types Of past ages
which would correspond fairly well with the
numerous descriptions Of the alleged sea
pent. Although such a theory is pooh-poohed
by the ignorant. Agassiz believed in it, as do
many eminent thinkers today, basing their
opinion upon affirmative testimony OF eye
Witnesses When it is considered that two
thirds Of the earth's surface Is covered with
water. the depths Of which, miles and miles be-
meath the waves, have never been approached
by human explorer, who can say what huge and
formless monsters may not Turk there in the
darkness OF an aqueous night never illumined
by q suns ray?
GIGANTIC CARCASS.
The description given by the Rev. DR.. Cor
~Sh Va sAo Soi SooSAOu1o ullu III NEW IAlNoT
inlet might very well apply to certain gigantic
reptiles OF the cretaceous epoch, exceedingly
numerous in those days, which are supposed to
have been the ancestors Of modern snakes and
lizards. One species, the Clidastes, Was of
about the same size, attaining a length of
forty-five feet. Another, the Mosasaurus
maximus, was nearly twice as big, measuring
when full grown not less than eighty feet.
Yet larger was the Liodon, hugest of all the
mighty saurians Of that vanished era, which
had long muzzle that is surmised to have been
used as ram in fighting These enormous
creatures, in general form resembling cells,
ploughed the waters with four paddles and a
propeller-like tail in pursuit Of the fishes,
which were their food. Their heads were large
and hat, and they swallowed their prey whole,
being able to take in animals of greater girth
than themselves owing TO the arrangement of
their jaws, which were provided midway in
their length with hinges. When they lived
this continent was lower than it is now New
Jersey and Delaware, as well most of the
southern states, were under water. and the
kocky mountains, in places 10000 feet less
elevated than at present, appeared a range
separated from the valley of the Mississippi by
broad expanse of salt water that was in fact
an inland sea teeming with animal life.
WHEN REAL SEA sERPEyrs EXISTED.
In those days real sea serpents not only ex-
listed, but their numbers were almost inealcula-
the rocks of subsequent formation, and in MANY
cases so perfectly preserved that entire skeie-
tons have been found and mounted in the mu-
seums. Prof. o. G. Marsh of New Haven
speaks OF having seen as many six of these
fossil monsters in view at the same time in one
email valley out west. After all the question il
merely one of size. inasmuch marine snakes
are very plentiful at present in some parts of
the world. They swarm in the Indian ocean,
and naval officer was telling NE the other day
that he had seen them in shoals of thousands
together in the Gulf of Siam. So numerous
were they that it was necessary to thread the
cables while at anchor through barrels in order
to prevent the reptiles from climbing up the
ropes and coming aboard while the ship was at
anchor. Nor was such precaution by any
means superfuous, owing to the fact that these
serpents are most dangerously poisonous.
FIERCE AND vENoMoUs.
DR.. Stojneger, the reptilian expert of the
Smithsonian Institution, tells me that they are
among the most poisonous of all known SER
penis, their venom being not less deadly than
that of the cobra and rattlesnake. Further
more they nre very fierce and aggressive and
will commonly attack human beings if they get
o chance. They do not frequent the shadows,
unless possibly for breeding. but live in the
open ocean: When full grown they are from
six to eight feet long. Fishermen in the
waters where they are found are greatly afraid
of them. Their bodies are fat and the inside
Of them is almost wholly filed by the lungs,
which are large, in order that they may be en-
abled to stay beneath the surface for a long
time without coming up to breathe. They have
eyes modified for seeing in the water, 80 that
when they are taken out of their native ele-
mept they seem blinded and strike wildly.
Their fangs, like those Of the cobra, are always
erect
THE GIANT sQUID.
Undoubtedly the giant squid, which has only
become Familiarity known to science within
few years, has frequently been mistaken for
sea serpent. In all qualities which can render
u marine monster horrible this huge and fright
full mollusk may De said to compare very favor
ably with any creature of fact or fiction When
full grown it weighs 10000 pounds, having a
body fifty feet long and two arms each 100 feet
Ill length, as well as eight small tentacles. A
model Of dimInutive individual, measuring
only forty-two feet from the end of its tail to
either tentacular extremity, is on exhibition at
the National Museum. Specimens of this kind
are not infrequently encountered by fishermen
in the Indian ocean, where ''the humble toiler of
tine sea must be prepared at any time to see
mOnstrous creature with enormous goggling
eyes rise ont Of the depths and fling across his
boat gigantic tentacle armed with scores Of
suckers SO powerful that nothing short Of horse
power can pull them off from the object to
which they have been once fastened. For such
an adventure the fisherman has always at hand
keen knife with which to slash of the tentacle
before it has dragged him overheard in fatal
embrace. He must work quickly, for the mon
ster has another tentacle to help him In the at
tack. and it is hardly an even fight between one
or two men and q beast with an arm reach Of
100 feet"
WITH HUGE EYES
Such is the appalling description given by
the author Of 'Sea Monsters Unmasked" OF the
giant squid. "As for the victim" he adds.
"once captured and held fast by the horrible
sucking tentacles he is drawn into the closer
embrace Of the creatures eight short arms,
which are likewise equipped with suckers, and
the fright.ui animal sinks with its captive to
the bottom, where it tears him to pieces with
its powerful parrot-like beak, goggling the
while with great greenish eyes over Its hideous
| repast." The giant squid, by the way, has eyes
many timesbigger than those ofany other known
animal. measuring quite eighteen inches in di-
ameter In full grown specimen. Those of
tho diminutive individual referred to In thu
National Museum are each one foot across.
One point for which the great ichthyosaurus Of
| the mesozoic epoch was remarkable was it,
huge eyes, which were six inches in diameter,
being sct In bony cups Ike those of bird, but
| they did not compare In size with the ocular
organs of this mighty molluak. In psssng II
may be remarked that only few years ago an
| ignorant ship captain. who mover could have
heard Of the original reptile. srrivsdat the port
| Of San Franctsco With detailed and completely
A. IL 49, - ~