The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-08-15
while with great greenish eyes over its hide

many times bigger than those OF any other
known animal, measuring quite eighteen
inches In diameter in a full grown specimen.
Those of the diminutive individual referred
TO in the national museum are each one
foot across. One point for which the great
ichthyosaurus Of the mesozotc epoch was
remarkable was its huge eyes, which were
SIX inches in diameter, being set In bony
cups like those of bird, but they did not
compare In size with the ocular organs of
this mighty molIusk. In passing 1t may be
remarked that only q few years ago an
Ignorant ship captain, who never could
have heard Of the original reptile, arrived
at the port Of San Francisco with detailed
and completely accurate description Of a
creature that be had seen in calm on the
bottom off the Pacific coast, which, II his
report was true, must have been living
plesiosaurus. This extraordinary aquatic
animal, supposed to have been extinct for
ages, would answer very well to the con-
ventiQDal description of the sea serpent. re-
sembliug a gigantic snake threaded through
the body Of a turtle, and having the head of a
lizard, the feet Of crocodile, neck like a
serpent thirty feet long, the ribs OF a
chameleon aud the paddles OF whale.
THE APPEARANCE IN 1918.
The ''glisteoing eyen OF the monster is a
point particularly mentioned ia the ao-
counts given OF what was in some respects
the most remarkable appearance or the sea
serpent on record, inasmuch as the creature
was viewed by thousands of people coinci-
IDENTIFY. 1t selected as the spot for exhibit
ing itself the bay off Nahant-that staid
and sober place which has been described
as "a slice of cold roast Boston" The sea
son was summer, in the year 1878, and the
weather was pleasant and calm, 80 that the
crowds which gathered on the shore were
able to observe the great SNAKE" to the
utmost advantage. as 1t swan about be-
tween two projecting headlands, coming
SO near the beach as 60 cause many of the
spectators to retreat affrighted. 1t ap-
peared to be about eighty feet long, Of
dark color aud held its head two feet out of
water through which 1t progressed at the
speed of an ordinary steamboat. AS it
turned short, after advancing to withih 100
feet of the land, and went seward, its
snake-like form became apparent the body
bending like an cells. 1t was followed for
miles along shore by people atoot aud in
carriages.
Attempts have been made TO identify this
sea serpent with a supposed giant squid
which may have found its wsy into the bay.
These great mollusks not infrequently run
ashore, and they are very numerous in the
North Atlantic
A MONSTER TOO BIG TO CATCH.
On Nov. 80, 1861, between Madeira
and Teueriffe the French steamer Alecten,
commanded by Lieut.. Bouyer, came upon
an enormous specimen, apparently asleep.
Many bullets that were fired at 1t passed
through It's soft flesh without doing it much
harm apparently, and harpoons buried in
| its body would not hold. Finally a rope
with running moose was slipped over the
| tail OF the animal but when IL was attempt
| ed to hoist it upon deck the enormous
| weight caused the rope to cut through the
mass, which fell and sank. On July 8. 1873,
according TO affidavits made by the
officers and crew of the bark
Pauline, they all saw three large sperm
whales OFT the lee below, being at the time
in lat. s. 8 s.. and long. $50 w.
Suddenly a strange and unknown
monster appeared just ahead and threw an
/ arm that was quite 100 feet long around
one Of the whales, encircling the latter
| three times, and dragged it head foremost
| to the bottom.
The giant squid swims backward by ex-
| pelling a stream of water from huge
| slphon with which 1t is provided. While
feeding at the surface Its tail projects above
and the convolutions OF the long tentaoles
| following after might easily produce to the
eye the effect of a snake in motion,
THE OCTOPUS OF THE SEAS.
Ia the same apartment at the national
| museum with the model of the monster
| previously described is a hideous reproduc-
| tion IN papier mache Of that other frightful
rnollusE. the poulp or octopus. the specimen
represented having a spread OF sixteen feet
| This creature chooses for its haunt some
| dark Granny Ia the rocks, where it lies In
wait, clinging with three or four Of it's great
| arms, while the others, waving, gliding,
feeling about in the water, are on the alert
to grasp any prey. A man who is so un.
| fortunate as to come within reach Is at once
embraced. Instantly the pistons of hun
dreds Of suckers that cover the eight tenta-
cles are drawn inward, the air is removed
from the pneumatic holders, and. a vacuum
being created in each, the victim is SO pin
| toned that hardly a struggle is possible.
The other arms are immediately wrapped
about him, and he is drawn into a closer
| embrace TO be torn t. pieces by the
creatures beak and absorbed.
The Chinese regard these octopoda as a
great delicacy for eating, aud they are sim
flarly relished In many other parts OF the
| world. In the Mediterranean numerous
species Of them, mostly Of small size, are
fished for, and along the coast of Algeria
they are ceuehtin very curious fashion
by means Of trthea jugs junk In the water
Probably because the poulp is soft-boded
animal and therefore an easy pray for many
enemies, IL will eagerly take advantage Of
an opportunity TO seek shelter in a Jug,
AAOui buO OIL WHICH IL can spread lLS
tentacles for prey. Accordingly, it is not
uncommon for the fishermen, on hauling
up these queer traps after few hours, to
tind every one Of them occupied by an oc-
topus. a..I4 s4.- -
The DEVIL FISH is DANGEROUS
The term devil fish, is commonly ap-
piled to the great octopus, though the true
devil fish is quite different animal belong
ing to the family'o of rays. This latter Is
one of the most dangerous and ferocious
monsters Of the deep. When full grown, 1t
measures thirty fee5 from tip to tip of it's
tremendous wings" which are merely very
much developed fleshy fms. Its, muscular
power is 30 enormous that there are many
well-autheDticateds stories Of Its carrying Off
small vessels, having become fouled with
the anchor lines. A specimen captured off
Barbados required seven oxen TO draw IL
over the land. Accounts Of less reliable au-
thority are given OF Its assaiiing boats,
swamping them with uplifted wing, A
beak consisting of two feshy horns that ex-
tend forward from its head assists 1t in
grasDlnB its prey. Being carnivorous, it
would presumably deVour human beings.
Tales are told OF its attacking divers. swoop-
Ing from above. 50 that the unfortunate,
while helpless TO escape. beholds a living
cloud settling over him with eager Jaws to
gobble. The devil fish is particularly fierce
Hhen accompanied by its offspring, of
which it brings forth only one at birth.