Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1896-07-14

big animal below the surface. Occa-
s.onllly il would make a desperate eff
and plunge down. exposing IT'S huge
gray body for a moment, reaching three
or four feet when the turtle would
bring it to the surface again where the
two would toss about, beating the water
into foam.
Finally. the shark tore itself away
and the turtle disappeared. We saw it
come no a long distance away and u
violent Splashing told that its enemy
or another Of its kind had continued
the attack. When we reached it agai"
th pursuer had disappeared and the
turtle lay on the surface.
We put a peg into its shell and towed
i, in, finding its four hippers cut even
j. away so that the poor creature was
perfectly helpless.
In this locality the sharks came into
that water at night TO feed. in all prob
ability, upon craw fish, sea cucumbers
and other dainties, and at such times
they waged war upon the big rays that
also affected the shallow lagOOns. On
still nights, when the wind had entirely
gone down, a sudden and violent rush
OF water would be heard, then a re-
sounding crash. following by fiutter-
ing along the surface, as though some
great bird was beating the water with
It's wings.
The roar of sounds meant a conflict
between shark and the great ray or
devil fish, that has a spread of fifteen
or eighteen feet. The ray is black; with
the curious Claspers at its head and long
projecting side fins which move up and
down like wings. These the sharks at
tack. and fins have been seen with enor-
nous pieces torn out. willie the giant
fish often succumbs to the onslaught Of
the man-eater.
Sharks themselves occasionally en-
gage in vigorous and sanguinary en-
counters, while turtles, especially the
big bull lOggeTheads wage warfare
against their kind.
Among the fishes the Sword-fiSh is
undoubtedly the most pugnaciOuS, re-
markable dUels occurring between these
swOrdsmen of the sea. In one ObSery-
tG by an acquaintance OF the writer,
Fhe fish were first noticed leaping into
the air. undoubtedly the result of q
false aim. or one had avoided the lunge
and shot out of the water. The ap-
peared TO swim around in circles and
suddenly charged. The shock must
have been terrific, as one Of the fishes
was almost thrown out of the water,
and afterwards the blow was found to
have been delivered just below the eye
Sni 70 have glanced of. The thrust
undoubtedly demOralized the swords
man. as il was seen to swim away; then
came a terrific rush along the surface
as the enemy came on again, and in
few moments che fish was struggling
az the surface and a short time after
was picked up dead, having a wound
upon the head glancing shot, while
-vO Other StabS were made by the
sword of its opponent, which had gone
through il as easily as through paper.
or all the cOmbats of the sea those
between rival whales are most awe-in-
spring and the spectacle of these mon
>,erS Of the deep crashing into each 9TH
or is one to be remembered. That ter
rife battles are wageG between whales
and sword fish there is little doubt. and
IS preyalen, belief among whalers
and followers of the sea that the swivel
.3', shark IS also party 10 these con
5sJs but which is denied, as a rule, by
,uralistS. The story is that the sword
uSh and long tailed shark have an en-
nifty Of long standing against the whale
and that they attack il together. The
swOrddsh piercing II from below and az