Marietta daily leader. (Marietta, Ohio) 1895-1906, 1901-02-24
STRANGE FORMS OF SEA LIFE.
Live in schools and Are Armed with
Bristles Hitherto Unknown
Species brought TO Surface.

What is believed to be hitherto
unknown species of the spoon-worm
has been pumped up from the depths
of Elliott bay by the dredger in opera
tion near the Centennial mill. Speci
mems which have been submitted to
Prof. Trevor Kincaid. of the university,
are pronounced by him to be different
from any species previously found in
Puget sound, but somewhat similar to
an Alaskan form of sea life, says the
Seattle Post-Intelligencer.
The animal found in the bay is of
nondescript appearance. 1t resembles
an oblong transparent rubber bag
filled with water and varies from three
to five inches in length. 1t is about
as thick, generally, as a mans thumb.
Al each end are several circles of
sharp bristles, colored like brass and
seemingly as hard. These are believed
to be its defensive weapons. The bris-
ties at one end are stronger and more
numerous than at the other. Other
species have the bristles only at one
end.
These peculiar animals were first
brought to the surface about two
weeks ago by the dredger of the Seat
tie d Lake Washington Waterway Co.
They were sucked up by the pumps
from depth of from 30 to 35 feet and
carried through the discharge pipes
to the point where the filling is being
made. There they were found by mem
bers of the dredger's crew, whose Gu
riosity was aroused by the appearance
of the worms. A number were collect
ed and given to the officers of the com
pany.
Capt. w. f. Roberts, of the dredger,
stated that the species was found in
schools. He believes that they live
on rocks and every time they have
been pumped up so far they have been
accompanied by pieces of stone and
coal, which had been dumped into the
bay from ships discharging their bal
| last.
I'VE find none for Several days" he
said. "and then they come in bunch.
| They appear to be able to travel on any
side and wrggle along like a common
earth worm. AS far as ! can learn it
is not exactly known whether they live
upon the surface of the sea bottom or
beneath it. We always find them sub
merged and ! believe they will die if
kept out of their natural element very
long. They live on smaller worms and
marine vegetation. / should Judge that
they do not have much vitality, al
though they cut some queer antics
when out of the water"
Foreman Jones. who oversees. the
work at the mouth of the discharge
pipe, says the worms are called sea
cucumbers and that they are very
common. He declares that he has
often found some as long as 20 inches
close to the beach when the tide was
out and that their mode of travel is
exactly like that of snake. At one
end, he says, they have large suckers,
by means of which they capture small
er forms of life. 1t is believed by 9TH
ers that Mr.. Jones has confounded the
species with some other.
A specimen of the worm sent to the
Post-Intelligencer was submitted for
examination to Prof. Kincaid, of the
geological chair at the state university
The specimen had been kept overnight
in an empty cigar box and when eX-
amined was found to have exploded.
on.y fragment of dried skin remain
ing. Prof. Kincaid pronounced it a
species of echiurus, one of the spoon
worms. or sipuncu.oldea. The latter
he said. were allied to the earthworm
There is a large difference between
them, however, as the sea species does
not have his body divided into compart-
ments. Prof. Kincaid states that the
specimen submitted to him for exam
nation is unlike any species so far re-
corded from Puget sound. They re-
semble an Alaskan form, differing from
the latter in the possession of bristles
at both ends instead Of only at one ex-
tremity.