The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1899-11-28
IT INSPIRES HORROR.
A HIDEoUS CREATURE TO coNTEM-
PLATE, is THE OCTOPUS.

The Snakelike Way In Which 1t At
taclzs Its Victims and EndeavOrs to
Crush Them In Its Shiny and Writh-
ing TeDtacles.
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 a
strong feeling of aversion on the part
of the observer. / 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
small tank were confined three indi-
viduals having 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 fourishing its
tentacles, rising and falling on the side
Of the glass until an observer nick
named 1t the skirt dancer" A third
was almost black, and was a vindic-
tive fellow, ready at any time to make
an attack. When introduced my hand
into the tank, this octopus would
as quick as a fash 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 It's 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 its folds, as the
tentacles were distended to their ut
most limit. To hold the hand firm
under such circumstances required
some effort, and l confess when it was
first attempted, with a Florida speci-
men, beat rapid and decided re-
treat; but In the latter case / waited
to see If the animals object was to
bite, knowing that the bill of so small
a specimen could not make serious
wound. But the octopus merely pressed
its mouth on the back of my hand, ap-
parently trying to intimidate the sup
posed enemy. While fastened to the
hand, 1t still held to the rock, and it
was with difficulty released. When l
remained quiet, the animal began to
creep along like huge spider, but at
the first movement of my fingers 1t
pounced upon my hand again, envelop-
ing it in the eight snakelike arms.
finally twisted out Of it's grasp and
seized 1t firmly by the body, when it's
rage became intense. Flushes of color
passed over it in rapid succession; now
red, black, yellow and when at the
height of its anger it was notified and
splashed with black-a frightful crea-
ture. 1t made desperate effort to es-
cape, but when released elected cloud
of Ink, darting off rapidly under its COW
er. This octopus resented any intrusion
and advanced to the attack at once
When 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 at the enemy, and in a second the
two were rolling over and over in a
contest that was amazing to witness.
The 16 tentacles wound about each
other with the rapidity Of light, and
both animals elected the inky fluid
from their siphons. They resembled
a ball Of snakes rolling along and
striking at each other more than any
thing else. A close examination of the
writing mass showed that the object
apparently was to smother the oppo-
nent. Finally, the newcomer beat
retreat; 1t was badly wounded and sue
cumbed few hours later
The octopus is a favorite subject
with popular writer's on natural his
tory, and many accounts have been
written of its ferocity, which are al
most invariably denied by naturalists;
yet am inclined to think that in some
instances certain individuals are more
or less pugnacious. l have handled
scores Of them from the gulf of Next
CO and California and observed only
one inStance-the one cited-where the
animal deliberately rushed to the at
tack, though l know of two others.
One was observed by Mr.. Ralph Ar
mold, a geologist of Pasadena. He was
wading among the pools at low tide
at Point San Pedro when suddenly he
heard cry, and, turning, saw some
children In pool, wading, and moving
toward them large octopus, It's long
arms raised above the water. Whether
the animal would have attempted to
attack them is question, as it was
interrupted in a more or less violent
manner. A resident of Washington
told me that once when visiting the
shore he was advised by the fisherman
with him to avoid the pools and when
1t became necessary to cross them to
pass over as quickly as possible, as
large octopi frequented them. He con-
sidered this the exaggeration of fish
erman and paid but little attention to
II; out once IN crossing pool, stepping
from stone to stone, suddenly long
livid arm shot out of the water and
reached insinuatingly for his legs, the
entire animal moving rapidly toward
him. He, however, reached the rocks
safely and bombarded the animal with
stones. He estimated it's size at %
feet across. judging the tentacles to
have been u feet in length. Again, it
cannot be determined from this wheth-
er the animal would have seized him,
though the observer was confident that
1t would and that it was large enough
to have held him under water had he
been pulled inc. +. Holder in Scien-
tific American.
SCARED Too High.
Eyes, that's Guggenthorp. He made
fortune once by inventing road