Omaha daily bee., 1915-09-12
MYSTERIES OF OCEANS BED
Strange Creatures Of Huge sise ana
Great strength Are 60 De
Found There.

Where does the sea serpent dwelif It's
appearances are only semi-occasional.
Somewhere Il must have hoEno. The
question IL, What region Is its normal
habitat3 The answer IL that It's homo
under tho ordinary circumstances is IN
the depths Of the sea. One might deem
It not unlikely that the special haunts OF
sea serpents arc the great marine Abysses
IN regard to which knowledge has been
gained only within the last few years.
Natrslists today are Obliged 90 confess
that they know almost nothing about the
fauna OF these deeps. In truth, Il may
be said that thrne-tourths OF the earth =
surface remains as yet unexpiored be-
cause covered by miles OF water, All OF
| this aqueous territory as a region Of mys-
terry, inhabited by strange and fantastic
creatures. The term fantastic as applied
70 them lie not Inappropriate. inasmuch
as their forms In many cASes are such
es might properly present themselves In
a nightmare.
Once in q while deep-sea animal finds
It's way by accident to the surface and IL
found dying or dead. and II Il from such
occasional specimens that science has de-
lAANNd WnaN hi1lnAl AuONltQkN OF tuN i2IHo
depth fauna II possesses. Smaller orea-
lures in considerable numbers. including
orustaceans and mollusks. have been
brought to the surface by the dredges OF
exploring vessels. Apparently there are
in tho depths numbers OF cuttlefish- nike
animals. unlike any that are familiar TO
us. which furnish food 20 many OF the
abyBmal fishes, Some of these cephaio-
pods have an apparatus like a rejecting
lantern for throwing light downward 20
the bottom over which they pass.
On one occasion the U. S. & Albatross
passed through many miles OF water over
which cutuefishes of n deep-sea species
about tho size OF a water pail were scat
tered by the tens of thousands All OF
them without exception were more or
less mutliated. and II was evident that
In the depths below they wero being at
tackled by some enemy and destroyed
Wholesale. These cuttles are known TO
be the favorite prey of abysmal sharks,
on whose stomachs have been found great
numbers OF their parrot-like beals undi-
gested. Some OF tho deep-sea sharks
como to the surface occasionally to feed.
and one OF them. OF ell-like form, attains
a length OF sixty feet.
Undoubtedly n creature of the great
depths is the giant sduid. which is by far
the largest OF the cuttiefishes. full
grown specimen weighs 10000 pounds, ia
body is fifty feet long, and besides eight
smaller tentacles. Il has two great ones
for purposes OF attack, each OF them 100
feet in length. Thus the total length OF
the creature is not los than l50 feet
Swimming backward II it's customary
manner by expeliing water from its
siphon with its huge tail out of water,
and the long tentacies undulatinR over
the waves behind, this formidable mon
ster can easily bo taken for sea SER
pent Though II appears at the surface
very rarely. II may be not uncommon
species down below.
Even on the brightest day no ray ,f
sunshine penetrates to a greater depth
than 600 feet In the ocean. This fact has
been positively ascertained by exposures
made With specially constructed marine
cameras lowered into the sen. Conse.
uuently II is manifest that the depths OF
the ocean must be absolutely dark. A
fluid blackness, a darkness that NAV III.
orally be felt. reigns everywhere, Iilunni-
mated only by the lanterns which the
fishes and certain other abyssmai crea.
lures themselves carry. some OF the
fishes have lamps which are turned on OF
off at viii, being under control by the
nervous system OF the bearer.--New YorI,
Herald.