Smyrna times., 1899-11-22
IT INSPIRES HORROR.
A HIDEOUS CREATURE TO CONTEMPLATE
is THE OCTOPUS.
The Snakelike Way In Which it Attacks its
Victims and EndeavOrs to Crush
Them in its TentacIes.

One of the most Gisagreeable animals
of the sea to handle or contemplate is
the Octupus. The tangle of arms, the
snakelike movements, the strange
flashes of color, the green glittering
eyes, are all features that arouse a
strong feeling of aversion on the part
of the observer. l have had under OBJ
servatiOn several octopi at the Santa
Catalina aquarium, and it has been in
teresting to note the characteristic fea-
lures of the various individuals In a
small tank were confined three indi-
viduals having a radial spread of per-
haps Is inches. One affected a light
yellow hue and was timid, sulking be-
hind a rock. Another, of dark reddish
cast, was continually fiOurishing it's
tentacles, rising and falling on the side
Of the glass until an observer nick
named it the skirt dancer" A third
was almost black, and was a vindic-
tive fellow, ready at any time to make
an attack. When 1 introduced my hand
into the tank, this octopus would
as quick as a flash send out one
long attenuated tentacle and coil
about it, then If an advance was made
it would suddenly release its hold upon
the rock and quickly encompass my
hand with its eight arms, pressing the
round serrated disks into the flesh
while a tremulOus motion would be
felt.
At the first attack of this kind the
sensation was one of horror. The hid
eous creature fiattened out, assimilat-
ing the color of the flesh to a marked
degree and evidently endeavoring to
smother the hand with it's folds, as the
tentacles were distended to their ut
most limit. To hold the hand firm
under such circumstances required
some effort, and confess when it was
first attempted, with a Florida speci-
men, beat a rapid and decided re-
treat; but in the latter case l waited
to see if the animals object was to
bite, knowing that the bill of so small
a specimen could not make a serious
wound. But the octopus merely pressed
it's mouth on the back of my hand, ap-
parently trying to intimidate the sup
posed enemy. While fastened to the
hand, it still held to the rock, and it
was with difficulty released. When
remained quiet. the animal began to
creep along like a huge spider. but at
the first movement of my fingers it
pounced upon my hand again. envelop-
ing it in the eight snakelike arms /
finally twisted out of it's grasp and
seized it firmly by the body, when its
rage became intense. Flushes of color
passed over it in rapid succession; now
red, black, yellow and when at the
height of it's anger it was mOttled and
splashed with black-a frightful crea.
ture. 1t made desperate effort to es.
cape, but when released elected a cloud
of ink. darting off rapidly under it's GOV
er. This octopus resented any intrusion
and advanced to the attack at once
When a strange octopus was placed In
the tank, although much larger, it came
out of its corner without hesitation
eyed the newcomer a moment, then il
some incOmprehensible way hurled it
self at the enemy, and in second tht
two were rolling over and over in {
contest that was amazing to witness
The 16 tentacles wound about eacl
other with the rapidity of light, ant
both animals elected the inky fiuit
from their siphons. They resemble,
a ball of snakes rolling along ant
striking at each other more than any
thing else. A close examination of th
writhing mass showed that the objec
apparently was to smother the oppo
FINALLY ha
retreat; it was badly wounded and sue
cumbed few hours later.
The octopus is a favorite subjeC
with popular writer's on natural hi;
tory, and many accounts have bee
written of its ferocity, which are a
most invariably denied by naturalist
yet l am inclined to think that in som
instances certain individuals are moi
or less pugnacious. l have handle
scores of them from the gulf of Mex
co and California and observed onl
one instance-the one cited-where tt
animal deliberately rushed to the a
tack, though l know of two other
One was observed by Mr.. Ralph A
mold, geologist of Pasadena. He W;
wading among the pools at low tic
at Point San Pedro when suddenly
heard a cry, and. turning, saw son
children In pool, wading, and moviI
toward them a large octopus, its lor
arms raised above the water. Wheth
the animal would have attempted
attack them is a question, as 1t w
interrupted In a more or less viole
manner. A resident Of Washingt'
told me that once when visiting t
shore he was advised by the fishermi
with him to avoid the pools and VIII
It became necessary to cross them
pass over as quickly as possible,
large octopi frequented them. He CO
sidered this the exaggeration of a fis
erman and paid but little attention
1T; but once in crossing pool, steppi
from stone to stone, suddenly a lor
iivid arm shot out of the water a
reached insinuatingly for his legs,
entire animal moving rapidly towa
him. He, however, reached the roc
-. Cd fbo VIZ