Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-03-22

of true fishes are found among the
shark, says the American Boy; and
the largest of these formidable fishes
are the whale sharks. These huge
fish occur in the waters of India,
Japan, South America, Panama, Cali
fornia and the West midas.
The nose is very broad and blunt
and the mouth, although very wide. is
armed only with very minute teeth
II is a dark colored creature marked
with small, whitish spots, and is per-
fectly harmless TO man, feeding ex-
elusively on small fish. Its huge bulk
makes it dangerous when wounded.
This great fish reaches maximum of
20 feet.
Probably the second largest shark is
the basking shark, known also as ele-
plant shark and bone shark. This spe-
eies derives it's name from its habit of
collecting in schools and 'basking in
the sun at the surface of the sea. 1t
reaches length of 40 to so feet and
| while large is perfectly harmless.
Its teeth are small and numerous
and its food consists of small fishes,
| shrimp, crustaceans, etc. 1t is ordinar-
/ lily of a gentle and quiet disposition.
but if wounded or injured can readily
| smash an ordinary boat TO pieces with
its powerful tail. 1t was formerly
widely hunted for its oil but has be-
come too scarce to hunt with much
success.
The great sleencr shark is most
stupid gluttonous species-as in fact
are most of the sharks-and spends
most of its time doing on the surface
of the sea. When aroused or hungry
II attacks whales. porpoises or in fact
anything it can find, and bites great
pieces from its victims with its knife
like teeth.
At such times it seems perfectly OBJ
liyous to pain or fright and can be
hacked with knives and pierced with
spears without paying the least atten-
ton or seeming to take any notice.
This savage creature reaches a length
of thrty-six to forty feet and is fully
as large and even more formidable
than are the true man eating sharks.
Related to the sharks are the odd
saw f1stes of the tropics. which are
common in the lagoons bayous and
sounds Of the West Indies and our
Southern coast. These fish grow to 4
i length of twenty or twenty five feet
and they are Of no real value. they
are never fished or hunted to any ex-
tent.
In fact, the fishermen dread these
creatures, for they often become en-
tangled in their nets and rip and tear
them to pieces by lateral Jerks and
sweeps Of the huge saw on the nose.
This saw" is bony elongation of
the nose and is armed on either side
with large, sharp. strong teeth. and in
the largest fish these saws grow to
five or six feet long and nearly foot
wide.
Very different from the saw fish Is
the sword fish, which is related TO the
mackerels and is of great value for
food and is widely and assiduously
hunted or flshed on the southern New
England coast as well as in the Gulf
of Mexico and in the West Indies.
The sword fish is a splendid creature,
often weighs as much as six hundred
pounds and has huge, brilliant eyes.
clean, speedy lines" and a long horny
snout or Sword" with which 1t can
impale another fish or even pierce the
strongest oaken timber Of a boat. u
Many of the mackerel family grow
to gigantic size. and the best NJ
of these is the tuna orN tsl5 6s1f
horse mackerel." This bcautl nd
valuable fish mas long been a ad{5f<f OF
revenue and food to the inhahitHHtA OF
southern Europe, but although FOUND
commonly on the American side of the
. Atlantic, il has never been fished Tor
food except recently and in the West
, Indies It is a powerful rapid swim
ming and 'gamey" fish and on the
Californian coast is extensively Sought
by sportsmen who fish for 1t with ilV
rods. 1t reaches a maximum length
of about fifteen feet and a weight OF
nearly a ton
There are many giants in the sea
he SIDES the fish. whales and squids.
Sea turtles of various kinds grow to
very large size The edible green
turtle frequently weighs 400 pounds,
while the loggerhead grows still larger.
Largest of all these is the great leath-
erbacl turtle of the Southern coast
and the Gulf Stream. This great crea-
ture grows to a length of eight or nine
feet and weighs from 1,O0o to l'Soo
pounds.
Giant crabs are found in many parts
Of the ocean, the largest being the
giant spider crab of Japan. Ihese
crustaceans measure as much as ten
foot across their outstretched less
and are used extensively Tor foou,
large numbers being canned for export
Oddly enough they are hunted Wl'h
guns and killed with shot.
The common West Indian lobster
really deserves to be classed as a gl-
art, for it often weighs twenty 10
twenty pounds. Our own Holsters;
however, often become gigantic, ana
individuals weighing from twenty 10
thirty eight pounds are on record, ana
several are preserved in various muse
ums. Among shells also giants oc-
eur. and the giant clam of the East
indies grows to he four or i've fee1
across and weighs several hundred
pounds
Probably when the uttermost depths
of the seas are more perfectly known
even more gigantic forms of the lower
animals will be discovered, for with