The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-07-07
HOW WOULD YOU
LIKE TO BLOB?

WASHINGTON, .. c., July 6.---Did
you ever go bobbing for biobs?
No, this In not 4 new game nor
In II something that In likely to be
taken up by all sportsmen--it il mere
ly q little diversion highly and warm
ly advocated by the Smithsonian In
stitutiOn. for the conservation Of q
few natural resources.
There has been SO little conserva-
ton regarding conservation lately that
the Smithsonian evidently thought
that the matter needed stirring up.
for they have just Issued a letter con-
corning the determination OF the
blohs and advocating this extermtna-
ton as highly patriotic and an en-
inently proper pastim0.
But before the blJbs can, possibly
be eradicated, the public will have to
be told what they are, for It is doubt
full II there are many persons out
side of the smithsonian who would
recognize one Il they met 1t on the
street. That 1t IL something live Is
rather evident from the title OF the
institutions letter, "rhe Extermina-
ton OF the Blob" but whether the
would be exterminators should tempt
II with peanuts, lure 1t with bird seed
or smother 1t in popcorn Is not mem
toned.
So. the dictionary being the natural
haven OF refuge when one desires ia
find definition, the obs" are search
ed until the word blob" IL reached
But even then look of wondermeni
and astonishment Ia likely to settle
on the searchers face. for the def
milton there is weird and wonderful
1t is almost enough to produce a
parady on Oliver Herford such az
the following:
We meyer met a blibsy blob,
I never hope to meet one.
But this ] KNOW hope, ! trow. ---
I'd rather meet than eat one"
Here is Websters definition, lifted
bodily:
"Blcb--Somethin blunt or round
= small drop or lump of somethina
viseid. drop. a bubble, a blister. A
small fresh water fish fUranidea Rob
insoni), the miller's thumb
so there Ia very little use trying tc
dope out from the dictionary exactly
what is q blob. There Is no esca De
from 1T. the Institutions letter mus
tread study of the learned disser.
tation shows that the next to the
last bet In the dictionary Is the righ'
one to play and that the blob Spoken
about in the article in question ts 9
| Ash which has the pernicious habit
! OF swallowing several salmon fol
| breakfast, a few more for lunch and
adding some to the collection whey
dinner time came around. Therefore
says the institution. they should b,
exterminated.
! Blobs. say Messrs. Bean and Weed
OF the institution, are not particuial
how they eat their prey. Head O.
tail first---it is all the same to them-
and they eat an average OF six
1 day. This for q fish which is som
twelve or fifteen inches long. IL goinl
some. Some OF the blobs eat so man,
salmon that they choke themselves I,
death and the bureau of fish cries |,
not troubled with exterminating them
When 1t Is noted. however. that 81,
600 Of the pernictous blobs wer
caught and killed in twenty days o,
the Helm Bay stream, 1t would no
seem that the bureau of fsherie
would have much trouble In gettini
rid OF them.
| But they say that there is grea
need for an active movement aeairs
the salmon eaters, 30 the public /
asked to swat the blob" Just a
they are desired to swat the hy."