Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-04-09

bloated. jeliy-like body Of the devf1nsh.
The latter was killed and towed ashore,
and was photographed by a local natu.
ralist who CHANGED, fortunately. in view
OF the incredulity which is often cast
upon such occurrences. to be investigating
marine phenomena In the vicinity. Fred
erick Edwards. the naturalist in ques-
ton, has recorded that this nightmare OF
the deep measured, from tip to tip of its
outspread tentacles. fifty-six feet, and its
weight was 800 pounds. On each arm
there were $50 suckers. ranging from the
size OF saucer to mere pin points.
-
When there was received at the fine
aquarium in the old Castle Garden build
ing In the Battery grounds. New York.
a specimen of the green moray Of Ber-
mudian waters, 1T was widely heralded
as a veritable sea serpent This great
eel is of an unnaturally brilliant green.
and is possessed of an eye which is the
very epitome of intense and malignant
ferocity. Its nature is savage and yo-
racious in the extreme. Such horror
have the negro boatmen of this demon of
the deep that they absolutely protest
against the admission into a boat of one
of these creatures.
1t is told that a British naval officer
while fishing in a small boat off Ber-
muda, hooked one Of these fish; but the
boatman, soon as he perceived the
nature of the catch, pulled out his knife,
and endeavored to cut the line. The otfi-
GER had to threaten to throw the man
overheard before he would put up his
knife and desist from his almost fren-
Zied desire to get rid of the monstrous
eel. When the latter was hauled over
the side the negro went actually ashy
with fright.
No sooner was the moray in the boat
than it doubled upon itself and literally
tried to commit suicide. its writhing
snake-like body doubled upon itself, and
its jaws met with clash like steel
trap in its own side. cutting out a chunk
OF white flesh as neatly as could have
been effected with a sharp scoop. This
up a boathook, chucked the diabolioal
creature overheard.
Five years ago last June a green moray
twelve feet long came ashore after a
storm at Atlantic City. and was dis
covered by q coastguard on the beach.
The man took it for a sea serpent, and
thousands Of the pleasure seekers who
had f1ocked to the popular New Jersey
watering place came to stare at 1t. Ii
was described in a local paper as having
full red lips and double row Of teet.4.'
Besides the possible sensational fea-
lures of such an aquarium as is propos-
ed" remarked the fisheries bureau ex-
pert before quoted, the educational value
of such an institution Is apparent. One
could enlarge to almost any extent upon
the wonders of marine life that could be
shown. Thus, the Prince of Monaco, not
long ago, discovered a marine creature.
of rapid movements and apparently great
vitality. yet so transparent that IL was
invisible to the human gaze, and its pres
ence in an aquarium could only be de-
termined by the commotion which II
caused among the other occupants OF the
tank in which it was confined.
THE fishes provided with luminous ap-
paratus, the wonderful and less known
forms Of ocean life, might all be pro-
cured and exhibited to the public as are
the animals in a zoo. General interest
should certainly be excited by such pro-
posal as that Of establishing a great
aquarium, which. with such facilities as
the bureau OF fisheries, with the assistance
Of adequate appropriation. could undoubt-
edly command, would afford an almost
unlimited field for wonder and scientific