The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-11-10
GREEN MORAYS MOI Ed.


Pending some alterations in the piping
on that side Of the Aquarium the two green
| m~Orays-xian cells from Bermuda, each
about Ave and a half feet long have
lately been shifted from their established
, home on the salt water side Of the building
to a tank supplied with salt water on the
fresh water side.
The two great cells were taken out Of
their old quarters singly in q very deep and
very strong dip net. neither making much
objection to being thus lifted out Of the
water. This was lucky. because IL they got
free either would be more n any man
could handle, to say nothing of the danger
from their sharp tOothed jaws.
They we're carried around through the
service gallery Of the Aquarium to the other
side Of the building. each still in the net.
and the net inside an empty transportation
ran, and so both were finally landed safely
in their e quarters.
DkThen the unexpected happened. for while
both had been peaceful during the trans
fer, now they fell TO scrappiug with each
other. but they soon settled down to their
accustomed ways.
In the old tank there had been placed on
the bottom TO enhance the great eels' COM
fort and happiness in captivity two loose
sections OF drain pipe, each about two and
n half feet long and each Of n diameter not
much greater han that of the eels' bodies.
These pipes had been transferred to their
new quarters before the cells were, and SO
they were there ready for them.
The cells like to groom themselves by
going through these pipes; and then II
may he that the pipes seem to them like the
narrow passages they found in the sub
marine coral caverns Of the waters whence
they came. The great cells like the pipes
and when they had become settled in their
new quarters they too to them again,
at intervals. in their usual manner.
You might see one of the giant green
morays lying in a section Of pipe. with it's
head out at one end and its tail az the other,
quiet and immovable. except for the ron
slant regular opening and closing of it's
mouth with its breathing. And then you
might ace the giant eel, starting up in motion
smoothly and silently, raise itshead and BEND
il over back upon it's body TO tuck il then
into the pipe; and then you see its head
disappear within the pipe. while now you
see. outside Of the end Of the pipe, where
its head had been. a closely curved fold of
the cells body in constant smooth motion.
coming out at the under inner side Of the
pipe and going in at the upper. And then
in a minute you see the cells tail come out
al that end. and you see It's head coming
ont at the other, where the tail had been.
Perhaps it hadn't seemed possible that the
eel could double on itself thus within the
pine. that there wasn't room in the pipe
! Tor two thicknesses Of the cells body; but
still IL does this easily; and then IL may
bend Itself again ana Jnck us mead INTO the
pipe once more and e back through il,
doubling on itself the other way: and 1t
| might be that as it doubled YOU could catch
n glimpse Of its head and tail for a moment
at the same end.
Or when il came out of the pipe at one
end 1t might doublei ts mead over the pipes
surface outside and 40 go gliding along
the top OF it and turn in again at the other
end: or it. might rise up through the water
in the tank. and swim about with twists
and convolutions of its powerful body that,
until You have seen them, you would have
thought impossible.
In fact, and however familiar with cells
in general one may be. until he has seen the
green moray he can have but n meagre
conception Of the cells einuosity.