The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-02-03
1aNNY IS THE OCTOPUS
-mroUs CREATURE WHICH 1T IS
DANGEROUS TO MEET.
or.ssy Experiences of a Scientist
while Experimenting With One
Il Them-Mnrine Monsters some
anes Found In Washington.

-. a. the most disagreeable animals of
- - 10 handle OF contemplate Is the oc-
- The iansle Of arms, the snake-like
sess-.ments, the strange flashes OF color.
| Z. ~reen elittering eyes are all features
- arouse a strong feeling OF aversion on
l = rart of the observer. have had I'M
] - ohssryation several octopi at the Santa
r,,llna aquarium, and 1t has been inter-
s.s,rr 10 note the characteristic features
z ~ various ndividuals- In small
~ we're confined three individuals having
/ rsdisl spread OF perhaps eighteen inches.
ons Affected light yellow hue and was
,nd. sulking behind rock. Another, OF
darn reddish cast, was continually
s.,r,sh,ng its tentacles. rising and falling
= the side Of the glass untii an observer
slknsmed il the skirt dancer" A third
~ almost black and was vindictive fell
=. ready at any time to make an attack.
when | introduced my hand into the
..rk this octopus would as quick as q
sssh send out one long, attenuated ten
go and coil about It; then. IL an advance
~ made, 1t would suddenly release its
ma upon the rock and quickly encompass
<, hand with It's eight arms. pressing
~ round, serrated disks into the flesh.
vkIle a tremulous motion would be felt.
sstjoa was one OF horror. The hideous
rssnturs nattcned out. assimiating the
/ solor Of the flesh to marked degree and
,ytdently endeavoring TO smother the hand
nm it folds, AS the tentacles were dis
esded TO their utmost limit.
psspePate Fight of Two Rivals.
70 hold the hand firm under such cir
eumstances required some effort, and I
esafess when II was first attempted, with
rlorida specimen, | beat a rapid and
decided retreat. but In the latter case /
vsltsd TO see II the animals object was
a bite, knowing that the bill OF 40 small
1 specimen could not make serious
wound. But the octopus merely pressed
II mouth ON the back Of my hand, ap-
mrtntiy trying to intimidate the sup
Rcd enemy. While fastened to the
md II still held to the rock. and II was
Nth dificulty released. When I re-
mined quiet the animal began TO creep
alone like a huge spider. but at the first
nsvsments OF my fingers It bounced up
4 my hand again, enveloping II In the
A6ht snakelixe arms. 1 finally twisted
~ az its grasp and seized II firmly by
lho body, when Its rage became intense.
Pushes Of color passed over Il In rapid
accession: now red, black, yellow and
shen at the height OF its anger II was
upttlsd and splashed with black--a
idxhtful creature. II made desperate
Mrt to escape. but when released
sfsted a cloud Of ink. darting OF rapidly
sadsr its cover.
adtanced to the attack at once When a
strange octopus was placed in the tank.
aithouRh much larger. u came out OF its
ngner without hesitation. eyed the new
temeF moment. then In some incompre-
Aendhle way literally hurled itself at the
neupy and In a second the two were roll.
~ over and over In n contest that was
AnAsing to witness The sixteen tentacies
ssund about each other with the rapidity
light. and both animals elected the
nty mud from their siphons. They re-
wmbicd ball OF snakes rolling along and
sinking at each other more than any
ming else, A close examination OF the
srihing mass showed that the object APP
Nfently was 20 smother the opponent.
Finally, the newcomer beat a retreat; II
vas badly wounded and succumbed a rev
hours later.
Larks In Pacific Coast Pools.
A resident Of Washington told me that
nee when visiting the shore he was adj
sised by the fishermen with him to avoid
ne POOLS. and when Il beutme necessary
. erpss them to pass over as quickly as
pssble. as large octopi freauented them.
lie considered this the exaggeration of
sherman. and paid but little attention to
Il. but once IN crossing pool, stepping
from stone TO stone suddenly a long. livid
arm shot out OF the water and reached In
snuaiingiy for his legs. the entire animal
neying rapidly toward him. lie, however.
'ssched the rocks safely and hombarded
he snimai with stones. He estimated its
sze as twenty Ave feet across, Judging
ne tehtacles to have been twelve feet
= length. II cannot be determined from
hls whether the animal would have seix-
II him. though the observer was confident
that Il would, and that IL WAS large
saoaxh TO have held him under water had
b been pulled In
The octopus is favorite subject with
popular writer's on natural history, and
many accounts have been written OF Its
'sfueiiy, which ara almost invariably de-
a*d ~ natafallsls, yet l am inclined to
hsnk that In some Instances certain indt-
Hi'iab are moro or less pugnacious
haze handled scores of them from the Gulf
2 California. and observed only one In
MAnee-~tAe enc cited--where the animal
sslNefstcly rushed 10 the attack. though
shos u two others. one was observed by
NAlph Arnold, a gcolosist OF Pasadena. lie
ts waiting among the pools az low tide
fent San Pedro when suddenly he heard
- e'y and, iuruiag saw some children In
Peci wading and moving toward them a
s'ke eesopUs. It's long arms raised above
sAs water Whether the animal would have
attempted &c attack them u question as
va Interrupted IA a more or luss violent
manner. Prof q r. Holder In Ssientids.