The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1926-02-24

324 Margaret street.
Hundreds of specimens of rare
creatures of the sea, denizens of the
deep, pretty shells, eorals and vege-
table growth from the floor of the
ocean. are attractively arranged for
the inspection of visitors, who are
cordially welcomed by Mr.. and Mrs.
F, Thompson at any hour of the day.
Admission is entirely and .cheerfully
+ free.
Mr.. Thompson has spent his life in
close touch with all the living curl
osities of the sea, and he has thor
ough knowledge of every curio that
he has on display in the delightfully."-
pretty place which he has Just COM
pIeted to house his remarkable ex-
hibit. He tells visitors of each ar
! ticle in a most interesting way, using
no technicl retams2-1t shrdlu Inn b
! no technical terms or biological
names, and so large and varied is
: the collection that t takes nearly two
hours to complete the lecture.
/. Scientists Surprised
This wonderful display, that has
i been cleaned from the sea, piece by
piece, year after year, has been visit
ed by DIR. Geo. Howard Parker, head
!, of the geological department of Har-
ward University; representatives from
the Museum of Natural Science. Day
!, ton, Ohio; members of the Marine
Products Company, Chicago; scien-
lists from the Southern Biological
! Station, New Orleans, La; Mr.. Now
bray, collector of rare specimens for
the Battery Park Aquarium, and
hundreds of others, many of whom
are recognized authorities on marine
life, sea plants and foods. All OF
these people express surprise at find
ing such an extensive and highly
valuable collection of marine curios
in Key West, stating that they find
it one of the finest and most COM
plete they have ever seen.
Every shell looks as though it had
been highly polished to add to its
beauty; but Mr.. Thompson says all
shells are that way if taken while
! life exists within, while an empty
, shell is rolled with sea until it is rough
on the surface and is made less at
tractive.
Sea Horses
The several little sea horses that
he has there are wonderful to see.
An interesting fact about them is
that the "father" sea horse carries
the eggs in pocket until they hatch
and then protects the little 'sea
colts" the same way until they are
large enough to take care of them
selves. Some of them grow to be
eight inches long, and they are valued
by Cubans as cure of asthma when
worn next to the flesh like locket
I suspended from string about the
neck.
Giants of the Sea
The giants of the sea are represent.
ed by the complete skeleton of a big
"black fish" that measured % feet
! in length, and weighed 1000 pounds
This big denizen of the deep was
found dead near Markese Island on
land four feet above sea level. Scien.
fists tell Mr.. Thompson that this giant
swimmer was at one time a mammal
same as is claimed that the whale
was, and they cite as proof the shout.
der blade that forms a part of its
skeleton, and which is also found in
the bones of a whale. When the
black fish gets old and ready to die
the theory is that his original in.
stincts prompt him to return to high
dry land in order that his carcass
may not be devoured by sharks and
other ferocious inhabitants of the
briny blue.
Could Swallow Jonah
The complete and yet intact mouth
of mammoth shark is one so large
that it could easily have swallowed
Jonah If it had tried to. 1t was
taken from leonard shark Ia feet
long. Mr.. Thompson has a lot OF
loose sharks teeth in a box there
and they are all so keen edged that
thew viii shave just like a razor
blade.
coneh Sheils Galore
There is an endless variety OF
eonch shells, but the famous Florida
pink eonsh she'll is the prettiest one
of all. Other shells of the conch
family are king helm;t, queen helmit,
mickermark, in all its pretty tints;
the ivory coneh, the lamb shell. the
porgie dwarf eoneh and others too
numerous to mention.
Nest Perfect Lead Speaker
The Tropie eonch shell IS rapidly
becoming q valuable article of COM
meree, since il is found to be the
most perfect loud speaker for radios.