The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-08-13
TURTLESATL% OGGERHEADS.
FoUeHT FOUR ROUNDS ron CHAN
PIoNSHIP OF THE AQUARIUM,


while All the Little Hsrseshse CPnbs steoa co
Thetr Heads and Heia Their Breaths-The
Authorities Break Up the Fight Just ~ 10
d Apprsaehing the stage.
Spectators at the Aquarium on Wednesday
Afternoon saw a special performance not in
GUIDED in the regular exhibition. Two big tur-
les in one Of the large pools had a scientific
battle which lasted nearly an hour. and was
finally stopped by the authorities when it was
Secoming brutal and one Of the shellbacks had
the other almost helpless. Neither OF the COM
batants was badly injured, and both were
swimming about in lively fashion yesterday.
but in separate tanks.
The turtles are logEerheads. and hail from
Grsvesend Bay, where they were caught on
Wednesday morning. Each had its own sepa-
rate dwelling compartment packed with marsh
grass, and, unless they have met casually in the
depths OF ocean, they were strangers when they
we're dumped into the big tank IN the Aquarium,
where q number OF horseshoe crabs, disturbed
by their intrusion. scuttled away to the shady
corner. In that tank is plenty Of room for a
dozen turtles OF peaceful disposition, but these
.wo are not Of that kind. No sooner did they
tight each other than they assumed a hostile
attitude. First the bigger iosserhead- which Is
Jsllowish brown. weighs City pounds. and Is :
FEARS oLu or more, Llteu up,
eyed the other. and with its right fore fipper
made the signal which in the sea code means:
what are you doing here,
Now. It was fitting that the smaller turtle.
which 1, only q year old. grayish black in color,
and weighs but twenty-five pounds, should r-
turn a respectful answer to his elders inquiry.
instead. IL made three or four disdainful passes,
SThat's none Of your business"
Upon that the brown fellow tapped his flip
DO YOU dare talk back to me. you soft-shelled
InudhshI Climb out Of this tank before l bite
4 chunk out OF you"
double-fipper gesture, and at this all the little
horseshoe cTaos In dismay stood upon their
asaSs and AZ ,b sei sor 1Ssi5 se ersS, sP pastur sp OF ss
renee against calamity. Only the big patriarch
Of the horeshoes sided up to the middle and
time a triple circle OF spectators seeming trouble
n the water. had gathered about the railing.
he dsht began. The rounds were fifteen min
Ites long or thereabouts, and the rules were to
hit, bite, clLnch. and kick a. often and hard as
Round THE combatants rushed out from
heir corners and met in the middle OF the tank.
hen snT they seyes sank GEsn again gain After er' a 81 ra ISS inter:
change OF blows right and left. fore and aft they
got into a clinch htIh lasted ten minutes. The
Drown one seemed 10 be trying to bite its mark
IN the gray ones she'll, while the latter attended
% its foes hind hippers., striving to secure, a
.AIutuk uDiA On VIC VI I'll u II
end Of the round the bigger turtle succeeded in
turning its opponent over. but before II could
visited, and snapped about two inches short OF
he Others tail. 1t was n narrow escape for
The tail. They clinched again and ~~restled. and
nually. at a signal from the horseshoe referee,
vent to their corners. apparently none The
worse for wear.
Round AT the first rush the gray rose and
he brown passed under it. Swiftly turning,
he gray seized the browns left hind hiuper and
tore . Bit Of it loose. Then there was such a
ariP NJ EArna for rWn rninnraa that rhA hnrlA-
shoe crab lost control OF its loconlottou and was
swept about in the whirlpool. so that its spike
e. lSpe assis a. * inI sssers Re e ions , fSsiG seeS iron iESG,
he horizon at sea As soon as it recovered II
Ssnt aMay i re6s s 6S u to sItmo 1 me W ,ssv The Ia
:ired. when they retired 70 their corners, while
he crowd whooped with excitement.
Round 3-Another rush opened proceedings.
This time they clashed fairly and the smaller
turtle was overturned, but il came up from un'
der and gave its opponent right and left on the
lore ripper. Then they clinched. The horse
shoe crab came back cautiously TO resume it:
duties as referee. but the combatants began &c
-oll and the referee hastily fed. evidently no,
minutes OF rolling and pIunsing. during which
lime she brown was on top most of the time, the
hat. while the gray was quicker and the better
swimmer Of the two, the brown would eventu'
ally win By superior size and weight:
gether. and this time both went to the bottom.
Here the smaller turtle was At q disadvantage
The brown got on top and darted for its oppo
nent's throat. which is the vulnerable spot: the
sheliback's solar pleIus. The gray lodged. but
its foe got IL oy the top Of the head and chung
At this point a voice arose from the spectators
Hi. Chonny; look-ar! De big feller's got de
little one nailed by de comb. He'll do him now
It reached the ears o. Mr.. Spencer, one of the
-AquArium's experts. Down he came from the
gallery. took q look at the combltants, ran for a
dip net. and. returning swiftly. he scooped on,
he gray turtle after breaking the others hold
With a blow from the Woodrn handle. On the
top OF the Rray's head a piece OF desh about ar
inch square had been torn loose, but the turtle
was still full OF hght and snapped at the meshei
of the net. IL was put into another tank, AnC
after its removal the brown shellback swan
around telling the horseshoe crabs with boast
Tul gestures how he had licked hat fellow oui
IF his shell
For . whole day the big fellow was cock o.
rhe roost- Yesterday there came from T. J
Fenton Of South Amboy a loggerhead weighing
eighty pounds, and superintendent Bean had Il
When it first came in the Gravesender made
rush for it. then. observing its size, stopped, sa
down. passed its clippers over its face med
catiyely, and looked the other way. 1t needles
no sign language to convey its thoughts. 1t wa
naying to itself:
We'll. I guess there 5 no hurry. I'll stop an
think this over for . while. Tomorrow'u d.
.ust as we'll"
The rest OF the day it spent in swimming th,
other way when the big fellow came around
While the horseshoe crabs all pointed thei
spikes at him in dertsiou.