Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1920-03-28
S~earchlight Eyes Not Only to Lure Its Equally Grotesque Prey
Into Reach of Its Tenacles, But to Blind and Confuse
1t in Any Attempt to Escape.n

But to return to the monsters. On top
of this cuttlefsh body. which is protected
by a leathery coat of almost armor plate
toughness. Is an immense hood. Around
this hood extend eight octopus-like arms
OF varying lengths, rather short and stubby
and compact. In the centre Of these arms
are the eyes and the great mouth. The
eyes are, OF course. the most astonishing
feature. They are telescope, that is, have
the power Of extension OF almost a foot.
Around the rims OF what may be called
the pupils are light-giving organs, which
throw out a strong beam through the dark
depths. The pupil OF the eye is covered
with a curious rough film which may have
either the property Of condensing what lit
tie light there is in the abyss or Of sensi.
tivity to the peculiar violet ray which the
Prince Of Monaco has evidence exists at
these depths.
The light from the eyes serves two pur-
poses. II lures other fish into the range OF
the tentacles OF the monster. Once within
the range 1t may have also the property
Of dazzling them and for a time inhibitinG
movement. 1t also enables the bearer Of
the searchlights to see the prey that has
swan within the radius of its eyes illumi-
nation.
The second monster is the only known
fish that actually carries its skeleton on
the outside OF his body. We know that
the crustaceans-such as the lobster, the
crab-do this, as do also the turtle and
certain other forms Of marine and terres-
trial life.
This fish, however, Is the only vertebrate
known OF its kind, and its armor has I'M
doubtedly been formed by long ages OF adap-
tation to pressure. The head. as is shown
in the picture. is literally a bonehead. re-
r. n A. l-.I. A.
ganoid fishes Of millions OF years ago. The
eyes are telescope and the head itself Is
luminous.
The outer skeleton comes down In a
series Of ribs from the true backbone and
meet in the centre Of the body into what
are actually two other backbones. From
these other ribs fall to unite in q fourth
backbone or hard quill. From this outer
skeleton the fms and tail project as though
from a case. Within this bony covering is
the body Of the fish, which is almost, eX-
cept for its true backbone, boneless.
1t will be asked how it is possible for
any organic creature to Withstand such a
pressure as that in which these deep sea
fish have their being. 1t is no more ex-
'traCrdinary, in fact, than how the human
body can support the enormous weight Of
sixteen tons Of atmosphere upon it and
not be crushed fiat to earth. So wonder
fully has nature arranged the balance that
we are entirely W Of il in our bodies.
The solid matter and the skeleton could
withstand a far greater pressure az long
as the air and the other gases within us
are at the same pressure as that OF the
atmosphere.
In other words, the internal pressure
balances the external and the body re-
mains entirely unconscious Of the forces
which are keeping it intact. Men working
in c%aissons or in air locks during such OPP
erations as tunnel building under water are
sometimes subjected to a pressure Of six
times the normal. They undergo this
gradually, SO that the internal pressure can