The Hartford republican., 1905-06-02
QUEER SEA MONSTER.
Unfamiliar Ocean Giants Hide0uS
Aspect and Monster
Size.
metropolitan Nagua.rc .

OF all the big game of the deep sea
that have been taken by man the cut
tie fishes are the most diaboical in
shape and general appearance. !
have handled and measured one that
was - feet in lengths "A weird, spider
like creature with two antennae-like
arms 80 feet in length. Specimens
Of these animals have been caught
~ feet in length, the captors fight
ing them with an AK, cutting the
arms which seized and held the boat.
Off the coasts of California and
Alaska there is a deep-sea ally of
this animal Il big, spider-like octo-
pus that haunts the deep banks,
proving upon the fishes most esteem
ed by fishermen. II is found off the
Farralones on rocky bottom, and at
times the fishermen haul in their
lines thinking that they have fouled
"A stone or rock. SO heavy is the
weight: but when the surface is
reached. long ,livid arms shoot above
the water. seize the boat and the
men are forced 10 fight with knives
and hatchets the weird, uncanny
game that has radial spread of
30 feet. its eight sucker-lined arms
being Il feet in length and possess
ed of extraordinary power. a spe-
men taken off the Island of San Gle
ment had a spread of about 20 feet
and gave the boatman hard battle
To sever its flying arms. Nothing
more diabolical can be conceived
than this spider-like giant of the
deep sea. living among the rocks
900 to /. 900 feet below the surface.
An individual of moderate size
which | kept alive displayed the
greatest pugnaclty.
The moment approached, 1t
would literally hurl itself at my
arm, winding its long tentacles
about it in a manner suggestive of
what a large individual might do;
indeed DR.: A. 5. Packard. Professor
II Zoology at Brown Univerity, says:
AN Indian woman at Victoria, Van
couver Island. in 1877, was seized
and drowned by an octopus, prob
ably of this species, while bathing on
the shore. Smaller specimens on
coral reefs sometimes seize collec-
tors or natives and fastening them
with their relentless suckered arms,
tire and frighten to death the hap
less victim.
Imagine jet-black bat of fifteen
or more feet across. with a long,
slender tail, the fins rising and fall
ing like wings with a motion of the
perfection of grace; wings jet-black
above, pure white below, flashing
alternately black and white as the
fishes turned and swung along,
standing out against the mauve tint
of the bottom with wonderful dis
tinctness. They bore a remarkable
resemblance to bats. and were the
bats of the sea.
As the dinghy moved nearer saw
that rare spectacle a huge ray turn
completely over, throwing a somer-
sault as it swung around, a picture
of grace, yet never losing its posi-
ton, presenting for a few seconds
beautiful lines attend to perfect
grace. / was fascinated by this
singular performance, characteristic
of these giant fishes, and might have
remained inactive had not the dinghy
reached a point when it was appar-
ent they must see us. ! permitted
one, two, three to go slowly whirl-
ing on, then selecting one that was
headed up the lagoon in the direc-
ton of the cul-de-sac, ! hurled the
quivering grain.pol into the black
shadow just as it was about to turn.
heard the quick thud, saw the
pole leap from the socket, heard the
Indian plying his oar to head the
dinghy up the reef. and then the
very bottom of the see seemed to rise
into the air as the great hat-like
creature rose bodily from a mael-
strom of spray, affording vision of
beating wings, that deluged boat
and occupants; then it fell with a