Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1899-11-08
Tt INSPIRES HORROR.
A H.DEOUS CREATURE TO CONTEM-
PLATE IS THE OCTOPUS.

| The SnarSelii<e Way In Which 1t At
tacks It's Victims and Endenvcrs to
| Crush Them In Its Shiny and Writh-
| ing TentacIes.
| One of the most disagreeable 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 q
strong feeling of aversion on the part
of the observer. 1 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 We're confined three indi-
viduals having 4 radial spread of per-
haps is inches. One affected Il light
yellow hue and was timid, sulking be
hind rock. Another. of dark reddish
cast. was continually Furnishing its
| tertacles. rising and falling on the side
of the glass until an observer nick
named il the skirt dancer" y third
WAS almost black. and was Il vindic-
tive fellow. ready ut any time to make
into the tank, this octopus would
as quick rs 4 fash send ont one
long attenUated tcntacle 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 It's eight arms. pressing the
round serratcd disks into the flesh
while Il tremulous motion would be
felt
At the first attack of this kind the
sensation was one of horror. The hid
cous creature fattened out. asSimilat-
ing the color of the flesh to Il marked
degree ana evidently cndeavoring to
smother the hand with its folds. rs the
tentacles We're 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 Il Florida speci-
men, l beat Il 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
Il specimen could not make 4 serious
wound. But the octopus merely pressed
its mouth on the back Of my hand. ap-
parcntly trying To intimidate the sup
posed enemy. While fastened to the
hand. it stfS held to the rock. and it
was with difficulty released. When I
remained quiet the animal began TO
creep along like Il huge spider, but ut
the first movement of my fingers it
bounced upon my hand again. enVelOp-
ing il in the eight Snailclikc arms. l
finally twisted out Of its grasp and
seized it firmly by the body. when its
rage became intense. Fiushes of color
passed over It in rapid succession; now
red. black. yellow and when ut the
height of is anger it was notified and
SplaShod with black-a frightful crea-
ture. 1t made 4 desperate effort to cs-
cape, but when released elected cloud
Of ink. darling Off rapidly under its COW
eT. This octopus resented any intrusion
and advanced to the attack at once.
When Il strange octopus was placed in
the tank. although much larger, it came
out of its corner without hesitation,
eyed the newcomer moment. then in
some incOmprehensible way hurled it.
self ut the enemy. and in Il second the
two were rolling over and over in Il
contest that was amazing TO witness.
The IL tentacleS wound about each
other with the rapidity of light and
both animals elected the inky fluid
from their siphons. They resembled
ball OF snakes rolling along and
striking ut each other more than any
thing else \ close examination of the |
writhing mass showed that the object |
apparently was TO smother the oppo- |
nent. Finally, the newcomer beat
retreat: it was badly wounded and sue |
cumbed Il few hours later.
The octopus is n favorite subject |