The Canton times. (Canton, Miss.) 1893-1906, 1895-03-01
EXPERT FINNY ANGLERS.


Two-Hundred-Pound Turtles Caught with
the Aid Of Eighteen-Inch Remoras.
The remora is asfsh that spends its
life in fishing for its fellows. 1t uses
mo bait no line, no hook, but its curl.
GUS tackle is very effective. Its dorsal
nm, instead Of being placed as in other
hsh at one-third of the distance from
head to tail, is moved forward upon the
very forehead. The fin is, moreover.
Hattenedout and furnished with disk.
Like rim, by means of which the remora
attaches itself firmly to any object
with which it comes in contact. It can
cling, too. despite any force that can be
broughtto bear. The remora may even
De killed before his grip is weakened.
AZ IS only another instance of the |
providence OF Dame Nature that these
fellows have their strange appliance,
Tor they are SO constructed as to be
able to swim only for short distances.
.nough they move very swiftly for
rev RODS. With their vacuum attach
ment they can dart upon an unsuspect-
ing shark, swordfsh or turtle, and in
a twinkling become inseparable trav-
cling companions. They do not appear
70 1nJure the larger fish in any way,
out seem to nevertheless be a source of
great annoyance, for if they stick to ,
one individual long enough it will be-
come slckly and poor. The remoras G
leave their protector and vehicle only :
Tor lew seconds at a time, while they I
dart,away to seize bit of food left :
over from the sharks or the swordfish's Q
meal. Like flash the morsel is swal-
lowed and the parasite resumes his =
deadhead journey. Frequently sharks r
have been captured with their bodies T
all Scared where they had rubbed I,
against coral reefs, oyster banks and I.
rocks in wild efforts to scrape off the =,
ever-present remoras :,
The West Indian turtle fishermen A
ong ago learned how to make use of
his strange fish. Having captured a
good, strong, healthy specimen, the
SHERMAN fastens him to long braid
ID manila line by loop around the
'ody just above the tail. Then he rows
nut to the turtle grounds, and, having
coated victim prowling along on or
lear the bottom, pitches the remora
verboard. Quicker than thought the s-
title fish instinctively makes for the .
earest moving object, and, dashinp
is head against the turtles back or
nder shell, becomes a fixture. The
sherman then hauls in his line, bring
ig the unlueky prey to the surface ~
nd hitting him into the boat The
smora, as a rule, at once drops off
hen this is done In this way turtles
lat are too shy to come to the surface a..
: within spearing distance are readily
lught, and, more than that, are uuin.
red, which makes them more valua. by
e for market purposes. Now and then nee
re remora will make fast to a bio der
III, and give his owner lively tus- WEI
E. The line may break or the angler loo
go, but the little sucker fish never and
osens his hold under water. Often out
moras attach themselves to MOVING wal
ssels, and are found clinginr to the you
tom when the ship comes into port. exc
lere are several species. One kind and
efers sharks and is always found at her
,hed to these monsters. while an her
1er vainly clings to swordfsh, and her
rd sticks to turtles. mar
There are three species native to the o dy
lantic coast, and another is an occa as |
nal visitor. They are all lovers of in Il
rm water, and are seldom seen his
TIL of Virginia. Nearly every sea from
the globe in temperate or tropical blan
mes contains some members of this wra]
iespread family. Some of them and
w to the length of four or five feet the
the power of these giants NAV be rates
mated by comparing their size with ert
eighteen-inch specimens which can put
and catch two hundred-pound fast
tle.-N. Y. Sun. sons
orph