Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1908-09-04
CURIOUS FISHES.

Or the many fish that swim probably
the one to which attaches more wierd
stories than any other is the Giant
Squid, or Devil Fish. Old pictures
represent this fish as wrecking ships,
climbing up on the deck and wrapping
the long tenacles about the masts, and
dragging the doomed mariners to the bot
tom. Victor Hugo. in his novel. Toll
ers of the Sea-" gives a thrilling ac-
count of these fish, commonly STYLED
the 'cuttle fish," The old stories of
the dangers from the giant cutie fish
were greatly exaggerated, but it may
possibly seize an unwarry swimmer and
drag him down. The Rev. Mr.. Harvey,
of Newfoundland, tells of one he saw
stranded on the ocean shore in his
country that wase80 feet long. 1t got
aground at low tide and was unable to
float Churning the water into foam
with the motto n of its immense arms and
tail it was frightful sight, and from
time to time it elected from its ink-bag
streams of ink, blackening the water
for a good distance around. Another
that was captured and brought to New
York city and placed on exhibition
there had body 10 feet long and arms
over 80 feet. 1t is said to make the
principal food of the whale, but most
of those caught by the whale are prob
ably small affairs.
The Sea VOLTA sort of giant catfish
and an ocean fish-is one of the fiercest
of the lot. 1t is often to 10 feet long.
Fishermen for long time dreaded it,
thinking it unfit for food, but of late
it is reckoned as good as many of the
ordinary food-fish. One of the most
curious of the ocean fishes is the Suck
ing Fish, queer creature that fastens
to anything afloat by very singular
sucking mouth, and clings so tightly
that it may be torn to pieces before it
will let go. 1t attaches itself to the
bottom of vessel and is carried thus
for leagues and leagues. No one seems
to know just why it adopts this method
of transportation, as it swims very well.
A favorite place of attachment is to
the body of whale or shark and these
giants ravagers of the deep have been
captured with dozen suckers clinging
to their sides. An old sailors
story is that the sucking fish can hold a
vessel back, and no matter how many
sails the mariner sets his ship stands
still. held back by the little sucking
fish. But sailors tell wild stories.
One sailor, who had been out on
cruise for several years, at last came
to port and naturally hunted up his old
mother. He had wonderful tales to
tell of what he had seen. "And oh!
mother" he said, Il saw fishes that
fiew-they just rose up out of the
water and flew across the waves like
BIRDS"
"Oh, John," said the old lady, .T'm
afraid you've become an awful liar.
associating with those wicked sailors.
Fishes is fishes and birds is birds.
Birds fly and fishes swim, because it's
their nature, but don't tell me that
fishes can fly, for III never believe
such yarns"
'Well, mother" continued the son,
'I'n tell you what we did see, while
sailing the Red Sea. We sailed and we
sailed and at night we let down the
anchor, and next morning what do YOU
suppose was hanging to the fiuke?''
4 don't know said the old Iadv:
''what was it?''
why it was wheel-a wheel like a
wagon wheel, and the tire was made of
gold, and the bands around the hub
We're gold, and set with diamonds" /"
"Now, xs'aimed his mother, ''now
that's a reasonable story. We all
know that Pharaoh was lost in the Red
Sea, and his chariot with him, and I
havn't the slightest doubt but that this
was one of those very wheels. Yes,
that's a perfectly believable story:
but don't expect me to believe any such
fish stories as that they can fly. That's
against nature, fiat.
]. b. H.