Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1893-08-03


which is from the San Francisco
Chronicle Of June nth, is Delawarean.
son of the late William II. Lambson of
New Castle and nephew of ex-Shcriff
Giles Lambson:
For the past 10 days the waters of
Monterey bay have been searched for
Interesting and curious forms and mani
festations of marine life, to make a part
of the great fisheries exhibit in the
Worlds Fair. The result of that search
is a rare collection of marine specimens,
which arrived in this city yesterday on
the United States Fish Commission car
in charge of Colonel G. II. Lambson.
The cal, it will be remembered first made
an appearance in San Francisco several
weeks ago direct from Chautauqua lake,
N. Y, with 100000 muscalonge fry,
which are now swimming In the waters
of Lake MERGED. By direction of United
States Fish Commissioner Macdonald
the car has since been at Monterey,
\ while Colonel Lambson and his assist
4 ants, with the aid of Professor Gilbert
OF Stanford University, made the collec-
ton which arrived in this city yester-
day.
The car left Monterey at GAO a. m.
and was boarded by Chronicle reporter
at Fourth and Townsend streets shortly
before noon. Colonel Lambson was
found hard at work and far from look
ing as spruce as on the occasion of his
last visit. Then both car and manager
were to certain extent on dress parade
but yesterday the conditions were much
changed. In every tank were specimens
requiring constant watching and atten-
ton TO see that they were placed and
kept in proper condition for the long
journey to Chicago. The reporter as he
entered found Colonel Lambson on his
knees and his right arm, coat sleeve and
all, buried in water to the shoulder.
"What luck, Colonel?" was the ro-
porter's salutation.
"Splendid; splendid, indeed" returned
the presiding genius Of the car as he
arose TO greet his visitor with character
istic warmth and courtesy.
eve have had lots of hard work"
continued the Colonel, "butit was work
that paid. The car contains collection
OF marine life which | have no doubt
would surprise the average Californian
almost as much as il will eastern yisi-
tors who view our great aquarium at
Chicago"
With these words the Colonel started
TO display his treasures, not only to the
newspaper man, but also 10 dozen or
more visitors who dropped in one or
two at time. The first specimens dis
played were lot of colored sea anem-
ones, those queer marine formations
which attach themselves to a piece OF
rock by force of suction that requires
more than ordinary human strength To
overcome. Most Of the anemones were
unusually fine specimens, ranging in
color from white to deep green. The
largest of the anemones was a rich am.
Der pink in color and fully as large as O
mans hat. The wonderful tenacity
with which the anemones attached
themselves to hard surface constituted
their only evidence of life. Several
which Colonel Lambson picked up Sc
that they might be seen to better ad.
vantage had to be pried with knife
from the rocks TO which they were
attached.
"We have anemones in the east,p ex.
planned Colonel Lambson to his visitors
"but not such as these. Such fine ano
varied coloring we never encounter or
the Atlantic coast"
The next tank was found to contain {
varied collection of red and black aba.
ZONES of all sizes. Further on scattered
through different tanks were found sta
fish, ranging in size from the circumfer
ence of mans watch to circumfer
ence Of 16 or more inches. There wer
also sea urchins evincing no signs o
life beyond an occasional spasmodi
twitching Of the many queer spines
which cause one to regard the sea urchii
as pine cone clad III the coat of a Dor
cupipe.
One tank was explored with smal
net which brought TO the surface a wrip
Cling mass, somewhat resembling a tad
pole.
"This," said Colonel Lambson, az
the electric or torpedo fish. Upo
touching them one will receive shoe
resembling that impaired by a sma
battery"
By way of illustration Colonel LIANT
son placed his hand on the back of til
fish. He took it away in hurry, {
did others who tried the same exper
ment. That the fish was strongly in
pregnated with electricity was clear
demonstrated TO everybody present.
"This strange formation" said Colon
Lambson, indicating another peculi,
hooking object, "is the penatula, whic
3 eAy mind, is the lowest possibl
manifestation of animal life."
This opinion was shared by she Wis
tors when they saw the specimen. Tn,
found the penatula to be an apparent
insnimate yet handsome mass of sem
transparent matter. The rear was cyli
drical and perfectly smooth and of
notified crimson color. The front co
slsts of series of articulated folds
rich crimson which at times unfold al
swell into tall crest, reminding one
the plumes worn by uniformed lod
of the Knights of Pythias. The penatu
feels Shiny to the touch and one or "
specimens were found tied up in 1
wildering confusion of hard knots, fro
which Colonel Lambson says tn
emerge at will with the utmost of eai
Embraced in the collection are TO
curious sea worms which will doubtle
attract much attention at Chicago.
more remarkable form Of animal Ii
could scarcely be imagined. The wori
are about foot in length and perha
three-quarters of an inch in diametl
Each worm is enclosed in a sort of la
finty tube, from one end Of which th
emerge in water, assuming the sha
and form of pocket fan when u
folded. When taken from the wal
the worm disappears into his tube il
hurry and evinces no sign of life un
again returned to his native element
And 80 Colonel Lambson wander
on through his unique collection, TAXI
from each tank some new surprise. I
visitors saw in bewildering SUGGEST
star fish, needle fish, naked mollus