The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-04-27
MARVELS OF
DEEP SEA
LIFE

! S~~-~~~~~
The animals of the deep sea which live
| habitually in water just above the freezing
| point, in darkness that is profound. are
among the most grotesque and singular of
living beings. The fishes so far as known
are OF small size, but this does not prove
that there are no large animals in the deep
sea. The method of taking deep-sea forms
| precludes the capture of any except the
small and very sluggish ones which lie IN
the deep ooze but the time will come when
a large dredse will be invented in which the
monsters of the deep will be taken. as there
are few naturalists who have given the
subject any attention, but believe that
there are in the greater depths some gigan-
tic animal which is occasionally seen by
those who go down TO the sea in ships.
The many and oft-repeated stories of the
sea serpent cannot all be visions, pictures
of the fancy. Many of the supposed sea
serpents are whales, lines Of birds or
patches of sea weed, but it is the concensus
of opinion among conservative naturalists
that there is some gigantic animal in the
deep sea yet unknown TO science which oc-
casionally comes to the surface. showing
portions of it's form to the amazement of
the mariner who may chance TO be in the
vicinity
AS to the nature of these unknown ami
mails we have several suggestions. Some
years ago fisherman the Georges
banks, off the Maine coast or in that Vi
entity brought up a remarkable fish twen-
~ feet in length. which entirely new
TO him. Considering it a mere encum-
brance it was thrown overheard, but the
catch was reported and aroused great in
terest among naturalsts. so much that
large sum was offered TO the fisherman TO
fish it up again, which they tried TO do
without success. The fish a verftable
young sea serpent. and if such fish at
tanned the length of fifty feet it would well
compare with the accounts q: sea ser
penis which are reported so often. Since
this occurrence several eel-like sharks have
been taken long serpentine-like creatures
that when large must be the sea serpents
of the deep sea and have convinced o5serv-
ers that the tales which have aroused the
credulity of people are not without foun-
dation. and that this mysterious realm
conceals strange and gigantic forms which
only rarely rise to the surface.
The eel-lilxe sharks found are in some in
stances luminous. emitting strange light
over the entire surfaces-the light-givers of
the deep sea.
THE RIBBON FISH.
Another strange denizen of the deep is
the so-called ribbon fish, several specimens
of which the writer has seen on the shores
of Santa Catalina island. This creature is
one of the most beautiful of all fishes 1t
resembles white or silver ribbon, slashed
with black. A long fin extends its entire
length. and over the head forms number
of plumes pompons of vivid red that
in long specimens might easily be taken for
a name waving to and fro. That this deli
: cate ribbon fish attains large size is gen
orally believed, as large specimens have
been captured. Some years ago a fisher
man was hauling a nest on the coast of
Scotland, when it found that some
heavy weight was holding the net back.
Additional help was obtained and dozen
men finally hauled in monster fish. which
was estimated to weigh eight hundred
pounds 1t was a gigantic ribbon fish.
thirty feet or more in length. long and
heavy that it required the efforts of half
dozen men to carry it along the deck.
1t was a veritable sea serpent and eX-
tending from its head were tall, deep-red or
scarlet plumes like fins. which form
sort of "mane." frequently described as
/,
these fishes attain a length of thirty feet
there is no reason why they may not
coed this and it is very possible that some
of the 'sea serpents'' which have been
observed at various times were gigantic
ribbon fishes which came up from the deep
sea and moved along with undulating mo-
ton at the surface.
During the past year large specimen of
, this deep-sea wonder washed ashore at
, Newport beach, California where it was
destroyed by a Mexican ignorant of its
value. The fish, which was twenty-five or
thirty feet in length and estimated 10 weigh
$50 pounds was seen at first in the surf.
presenting remarkable appearance it's
silvery folds rolled over and over and
flashed in the sunlight The finder waded
into the surf and with much difficulty
hauled the struggling ribbon fish out upon
the sands. How deep the ribbon fish lives
in the sea is unknown, but il is supposed
to come up from the very great depths
where almost profound darkness reigns.
One of the most remarkable as well as
gigantic animals of the deep sea is the
giant squid. a favorite tidbit of the sperm
whale. The size to which these animals
grow, their strength, their hideous appear
ance places them par with many of
the weird and grotesque creatures of a
past age. The souid undoubtedly attains a
length of nearly. if not over. hundred
feet, and pieces have been taken from the
stomachs of whales which suggested ami
mails far beyond this in size.
A HIDEOUS CREATURE.
No more hideous creature can be mag
ined. The body is barrel-shaped, the tail
like an arrowhead, the eyes as large as
saucers-black and white. hypnotic and
staring. The arms are attached to the
head. and are ten I'm number, from ten to
twenty feet long in extremely large ami
mails, while two are from thirty to fifty
feet in length, depending upon the size of
the individual. The short arms are pro-
vided with extraordinary suckers their en-
tire length. The two long ones have them
only at the extremities. and they form
virtually pair of pincers. which are shot
] out thirty or more feet like a fash of light
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