The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1900-01-04
TT INSPIRES HORROR.
A AlDEOUS CREATURE TO CONTeM-
PLATE Is THE OCTOPUS.
The Snakelike Way In Which 1t At
tacks Its Victims and EndeavOrs to
Crush TIL In Its Shiny and With
ing Tentacles.

Vic VI liS -
Of the sea to handle or contemplate Is
the octupus. The tangle OF arms. the
snakelike movements. the strange
flashes Of color. the green eiitterirs
eyes. are all features that arouse q
strong feeling Of aversion on the part
of the observer. | have had under Oh
servation several octopi at the Santa
Catalina aquarium. and it has been III
teresting to note the characteristic fe2-
lures of the various individuals. IL Z
small tank w:Ge confined three irG.-
viduals having a radial spread Of peG-
laps IS inches. one affected a light
yellow hue and was timid. sulkin- be-
hind a rock. Another. of a dark reddish
-ast. was continually touriShin- its
tentacleS. rising and falling on the side
Of the glass until an observer nick
named it the skirt dancer \ 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 n
long attenuatei 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 flattened out assimilat-
ing the color of the flesh to q marked
degree and evidently endeavoring to
smother the hand with its folds. as the
tentacles We're 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, l 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 4 serious
wound. But the octopus merely pressed
its mouth on the back Of my hand. ap-
ldiCutlN tNlhe " iIlilIIluutS llc 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. l
finally twisted out Of its grasp and
seized it firmly by the body, when its
age became intense. FlusheS of color
passed over it in rapid succession: now
red. black. yellow and when at the
height Of its anger it vas notified and
splashed with black-a frightful crea-
ture. 1t made a desperate effort to eS.
cape. but when released elected a cloud
Of ink. darting off rapidly under its GOV.
er. This octopus resented any intrusion
and advanced to the attack at once.
a strange octopus vas placed in
the tank. although much larger, it came
out Of its corner without hesitation.
eyed the newcomer a moment, then in
some incomprehensible way hurled it.
self at the enemy, and in q second the
W were rolling over and over in a
contest that was amazing to witness.
The 1G 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. \. close examination of the
writing mass showed that the object
apparently was to smother the opDo-
nent. Finally. the newcomer peat a
retreat: it was badly wounded and sue
cumbed q 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
n ~instance-the one cited-where the
animal deliberately rushed 20 the at.
tack, though | know Of two others.
one was observed by Mr.. Ralph Ar
mold, a g%eologist Of Pasadena. He was
Wading among the pools at low tide
at Iolnt San Pedro when suddenly he
heard a CRY, and, turning. saw some
children in a pool. wading. and moving
TOWARD them a large octopus, its long
arms raised above the water. Whether
the animal would have ATTEMPTED to
attack them is a question. as it was
interrupted in a more or less violent
amer. y 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
II became necessary to cross them 10
pass over as quickly as possible. as
large octopi f%requented them. He con.
sidcrcd this the eXaggeration Of q fish.
erlnan and paid but little attention to
1t; but once in crossing d pool. stepping
lfohl stone to stone, suddenly a long.
ilyid arm shot out Of the water anr
reached i~nsinuatingly for his legs. tie
entire animal moving rapidly toward
him. He, however. reached the rocks
safely and bombarded the animal with
tones He estimated its size at -
feet across. judging the tentaclcs to
have been Il feet in length. Again. It
cannot be determined from this wI.eth-