El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1916-08-26

AsHINGTON. D. e., August IS
AA -Sharks-some Of the larger
w species-are dangerous enough
hut the ocean contains other creatures
far more ferocious. more formidable.
and more dreaded
For instance. there is the huge VAN
nire raw otherwise known as the
'.sea. devil" Or. Charles + Holder. d
naturalist of high reputation. in de-
scribing this extraordinary fish, has
said, 1t resembles an enormous bal;
and no more diabolical creature cou4d
be ina gined-
Picture 10 yourself a common skate
magnified IN size until il weighs 4 ton
and a half, with a breadth OF so feet
Provide il with a long whlp-hke tan,
two powerful fleshy tentacies extended
forward from its head Cor SrasplnSt'
and pair Of enormous wings tmodi-
fled pectoral fins), by the Tapping OF
which il swims much in the same way
as a bird flies. You VIII then nave 4
notion of the aspect OF this truly
1righIful monster
Found In California Gulf
The sea vampire, as II IS some
times called. is denizen OF warm
seas. Fishermen in the Gulf OF Call-
fcrnia Cwhere the species Is except
ionally plentifuD are in dread OF Il;
for on slight provocation il VIII fierce
" attack boats. There are stories
of its assailing pearl divers IN those
waters, swOOping from above, so thas
the luckless victim beholds living
cloud settling over him, with eager
laws to gobble while he Is helpless
10 escape the horrible embrace of the
grasping tentacles-
through the water has been ukene1
TO the flight of a large bird OF prey
1t is a carnivorous creature, ana
particularly fierce when accompanied
81 a II IS
the only fish in the world that pro-
duces a single offspring at q birth
the young one is SIX feet across when
born alive, and well able 10 take cars
of itself from the start
Uses TentacIes As Arms
The two fleShy Ientacles above de-
scribed are used as arms. II seems 10
he an instinct of the fish to grab WITH
them any subject with which II may
happen to come into contact. and. nav
ing done so. 1t holds on with a mighty
and determined clasp. once IN 4 while
IL seizes in this accidental way the
anchor-line of a boat. and promptly
runs away with the latter II has
been known in such fashion TO carry
off small vessels Rut NOBODY can
Esv with certainty whether IL Is true,
as alleged that the vampire ray
has a fancy for attacking fishing
boats by running alongside with one
wing outstretched above the water and
Bwamping them
Killer Whole Is n Terror
The killer" whale-a numerous
Epecies in north Atlantic waters. as
well as in the Pacl1lc-ls lar NOR
6s1perous animal than any shark If
jnterfered with by man It is true
whale. and therefore d ma mmal, and
moi a fish Sharks are stupid cre9-
lures. but the killer" is extremely IN
seiligent and cunning. It viii not
eat a man $50 far as known, but. Il
pursued. il will turn upon a boat ana
smash il TO pieces IN less than no
time Much safer il IS 10 hunt the
tiger Of the jungle than to assail one
of these marine wild beasts
The killer is a small whale. NOT
more than Is TO 20 feet long bul
-bere Is not anv inhabitant OF the ocean
1hat il cannot whip, no shark ap-
proaches il in ferOcity- II IS AFRAID
Of nothing So strong IS Il, and so
csn1u-ed II will attack huge
s-right' whale and literally. tear It's
helpless prey TO pieces, dashins ABOUT