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Show SinniE (Grainit 6 A' ELIEF In the existence of sea- Qir$l ' serPents and other marine mon-Cfti mon-Cfti Ir sters goes back to a very remote andqulty and may be as old p) If Y as man himself. That great He- ti If brew poem which we call the K ' JiM Book Job nas much to say S Jr about the "leviathan." This ff f creature has been the subject of f much speculation and may have been a myth, but there is nothing noth-ing Inherently improbable In Its being a giant fish. Who knows that primitive man may not have been coeval with some formidable marine creatures crea-tures now extinct, the tradition of which has come down through the ages and left its impress on the mind of the present generation? The avidity avid-ity and credulity with which the general publio year after year receives newspaper accounts, which are purely fictitious or hang on slender threads of fact, portraying the capture or sighting sight-ing 61 creatures of impossible form, show how firmly established and deep-seated is the conviction convic-tion that the sea contains leviathans not yet known to science. Every season yields a fresh crop of sea-serpent Blorfes and a new series of grotesque pictures of creatures which, if they really real-ly existed, would revolutionize our ideas of the animal kingdom. The writer has personally followed fol-lowed to their lairs two or three of the most horrible hor-rible monsters conceived by the vivid imagination imagina-tion of the newspaper man, and found them to be well-known animals with little to suggest the sea-serpent. sea-serpent. As to whether there really exists In the sea today strange monsters, scientists are not wholly In accord, although a negative view is held by most of them. The very circumstantial account of the sighting of a "sea-serpent" on the Asiatic coast by the French gunboat Decidee a few years igo, as published in the Journals at the time, will perhaps weaken the belief of some intelligent persons who have heretofore denied the possibil- ELIEF In the existence of sea- i 'S ' ' I t ' serPents and other marine mon- S. " ' Q$,i jj sters goes back to a very remote C l2Sgrv andqulty and may be as old fy frX ) i " h . i , " " p) if as man himself. That great He- ' J&W&gfrw . s -i "? ti If brew Poem which we call the Iff ' " , y V 's ft ' JiM Book Job has much to say Iff t'''' - """"""w. V S about the "leviathan." This Iff W " " " ' if creature has been the subject of L ' i- - . V1 X ' , JL6S much speculation and may have A- s'i,?,':? " ' x -V ?VV Vm. A4, i", been a myth, but there is noth- 1 i 1 t f b " '7- f ft'C Ing inherently improbable in its being a giant 8 X N 1 , " "l Bsh- 1 I : ' I - Who knows that primitive man may not have ' Hi ' 'L been coeval with some formidable marine crea- f l " V SI t- V tures now extinct, the tradition of which has Mrvhwff if X ' ' i. r'.J come down through the ages and left its impress V-' WM II ' - W on the mind of the present generation? The avid- Y fca ?".iv,' i i Ity and credulity with which the general publio ti . ' "-"'X ; year after year receives newspaper accounts, V. J . '' Jr t ' 4 , which are purely fictitious or hang on slender v. - a, ' - s' ' if" threads of fact, portraying the capture or sight- vk. X " ViX'' lng 6f creatures of impossible form, show how flsrs . avzsv firmly established and deep-seated is the convic- S VV" V$n$J3l J&mfi'SFlLi tion that the sea contains leviathans not yet S A PfVlZLS- ATgr MARK MIRC 1 known to science. Every season yields a fresh " ' i ,1 r - JjEP crop of sea-serpent Blorfes and a new series of I ' grotesque pictures of creatures which, if they real- I "l ly existed, would revolutionize our Ideas of the I ri animal kingdom. The writer has personally fol- I SS'ISiSl lowed to their lairs two or three of the most hor- m& rlble monsters conceived by the vivid imagina- f80lltl& tion of the newspaper man, and found them to be """f fcV' ' v ' " ' ' ' ' well-known animals with little to suggest the sea- JlSfeiglliii As to whether there really exists in the sea .'AiMS' oday strange monsters, scientists are not wholly . ".W'' , , ' W t h ' - in accord although a negative view is held by m' 'jW '1 most of them. The very circumstantial account of A"' ' rw."' ' '0 lltk&t, , ' f , .':' the sighting of a "sea-serpent" on the Asiatic '" ' ,' coast by the French gunboat Decidee a few years W1W igo, as published in the Journals at the time, will . perhaps weaken the belief of some intelligent persons who have heretofore denied the possibil- Ity of the existence at this day of ma- .Pt J, V pri 7 J rine monsters comparable to those of -rz-'' '' " A " v " ' J 111 -Jf geological limes yf ' ' - " - tLri7 Tfff JHi, Jj Whatever may be the truth as to ' 1 V , T VV ' . J "1 ' niM the existence of such creatures, there A.vm. . - .. , " r - "" At C"S are wellknown members of the fish fit" . " ' 3 " t - - fJ sett of which George Dewey was cap- :lass which a. e so large that they de , y ...i V f- tain, was 17 feet wide and weighed it ' 'i' ''' - , - 1 - t nearly two tons. A fish of the larg- nu"""1 -Ja I J " 1 iT'5 " Jl est size mentioned would weigh not jf4f. . " sl " 'i ' -SSf less tllan six tons- sg?. , v- ' i j , iS In the lagoons, sounds, and bayous j'""' ' - t " A T ' of the West Indies alld our southern - " "C"- " -1 C ' j-isiC 'HS'-fe coast there exists an abundant fish ff'' ' ' "' j ' S? kL-pXi OP Tfe k&:$i5: of great length, intermediate in struc- -C - 0ZZ-ZZzz ture between the sharks and the rays, . " '' y ' f?Vi& and at once recognizable by the elon- S- i w," ""' r - " blade in the edges of which are large, SjZ y ''"'Mfi , 1 sharp teeth fitting in sockets and di- ,i'" ' " " 3 ' . rected horizontally. The teeth are in is , t ' ' " " g ss. 25 to 30 pairs, separated by wide in- Bjf .,''' ,stA--ti,.p . tervals, and give to the saw-fish its U,' J i$ " -" "ff " name. The species is well-known to ' " those who reside in or visit the South V " "U- - " XJ ' C - - ' -- Atlantic or Gulf seaboards, and the Vvw,. js' - y r 1 j "saws" are familiar objects in curio ' i x w . t " t "2 ' stores all over the country. PY 4 7 . " - lv , ' When giant fishes are mentioned 1 r f ' most people will at once think of the fl?ifi-F-t5H sharks, among which, indeed, are cSffi7S3i I I 3 found the largest fishes now existing. 3 " ,5 Of the many species of sharks note- . , , . ! 1 worthv on account of their size, there etie to be regarded as monstei i j " . , ... , , . , j . ., , r ,v i -. E are about halt a dozen which are pre- and mav be the basis of some ot tin f 1 - . . , u , . . , j . 1 eminent. These differ much in then sea sei pent jams with which the ' ! ., I I disposition, some being harmless as vvoild has been legtled foi centimes a , I , . ..... . B s doves and others the incarnation 01 Among the serpentiform fishes there f! , , . ,M .Tn.n 1 . -. ... . .V , .m .'-".i -1L-1,JJL. 1 1 'Tll ferocit is none of such exceptionally large , JW-HSH ABOUT TO3Z7ITSr0lTrP HOOK The "sleeper shark (Somniosus ml- size as properly to belong in the sea- v v . EBrnent nlo oltV,r,,,o-li mm rioo,-va tn hH r.nn- Ihp flKhps nf ihp hifrh spas n n rl mip-ht vorv enoilv croceplialUS) , Whose Scientific name Ity of the existence at this day of marine ma-rine monsters comparable to those of geological limes. Whatever may be the truth as to fie existence of such creatures, there are well-known members of the fish :lass wThich are so large that they de sett of which George Dewey was captain, cap-tain, was 17 feet wide and weighed nearly two tons. A fish of the largest larg-est size mentioned would weigh not less than six tons. In the lagoons, sounds, and bayous of the West Indies and our southern coast there exists an abundant fish of great length, intermediate in structure struc-ture between the sharks and the rays, and at once recognizable by the elongation elon-gation of the snout into a wide, flat blade in the edges of which are large, sharp teeth fitting in sockets and directed di-rected horizontally. The teeth are in 25 to 30 pairs, separated by wide intervals, in-tervals, and give to the saw-fish its name. The species is well-known to those who reside in or visit the South Atlantic or Gulf seaboards, and the "saws" are familiar objects in curio stores all over the country. When giant fishes are mentioned most people will at once think of the sharks, among which, indeed, are found the largest fishes now existing. Of the many species of sharks noteworthy note-worthy on account of their size, there are about half a dozen which are preeminent. pre-eminent. These differ much in theii disposition, some being harmless as doves and others the incarnation ol ferocity. The sleeper shark (Somniosus ml-crocephalus) ml-crocephalus) , whose scientific name serve to be regarded as monster: and mav be the basis of some ot tbt sea-serpent yarns with which the world has been regaled for centuries. Among the serpentiform fishes there Is none of such exceptionally large size as properly to belong in the sea- the fishes of ihe high seas, and might very easily make a transoceanic trip in one-third the time of our fastest steamships. Three species of fishes of the sea-bass family known as jew-fishes rang among the largest of the spiny-finned fishes. They inhabit tropical American waters, and range as far north as the California and South Atlantic coasts. The spotted jew-flsh (Promicrops itaiara) is common in the West Indies, and reaches a weight of 600 pounds. The black Jew-flsh (Garrupa nigrita), found from South Carolina to Brazil, weighs 500 pounds.. The California jew-flsh (Stereolepsis gigas), usually called sea bass, sometimes attains a weight of 600 pounds and. .is one of the really great game fishes of the country, being much sought by anglers in southern California. An experienced angler has written: "My largest fish weighed 276 pounds, and 1 was repeatedly almost jerked overboard by the struggles of the bass. I have seen a 200-pound fish snap the largest shark line like a thread, and large specimens straighten out an iron shark hook; yet the skilled wielders of the rod catch these giants of the tribe with a line that is not much larger than some eye-glass cords." Among the rays are several members which reach colossal proportions. The largest and best known of these is the so-called "devil-fish" (Man-ta (Man-ta vampyrus) of our South Atlantic coast and the tropical waters of America, which occasionally strays as far as Cape May and is comomn south of Cape Hatteras. It is shaped like a butterfly or bat, and has been called the "ocean vampire." Projecting from either side of the head Is a hornlike horn-like appendage, which In reality is a detached part of the pectoral fin or "wing." These horns, to which the name "devil-fish" owes Its origin, are sometimes three feet long and arereely movable, mov-able, being used for bringing food to the mouth. The mouth is peculiar In having no teeth in the upper jaw, while the lower jaw has about a "hundred "hun-dred rows of small paved teeth. Many years ago the pursuit of the fish was a favorite pastime of the Carolina planters, and William- Elliott, In his "Carolina Sports by Land and Water," said: "Imagine "Im-agine a monster from 16 to 20 feet across the back, full 3 feet in depth, possessed pf powerful yet flexible flaps or wings with which he drives himself -furiously in the water or vaults high In the air." There are well-authenticated instances or this fish entagling its horns in the anchor ropes or chains of-sinall vessels and towing them rap-Idly rap-Idly for long distances, to the mystification or the people on board. The expanse or body In this species is greater than in any other known animal. Examples 16 feet wide are common, and those 20 feet across and over 4 feet thick are not rare. The maximum width is stated by authors to be 25 or 30 feet One specimen, of which the writer had a photograph, caught in Lapaz Hay, Mexico, many years ago by the crew of the U. S. S. Narragau- serpent class, although some deserve to be considered con-sidered as giants among eels. If any known fishes may be suspected of aspiring to be sea-serpents, surely they are the morays, although a sea-serpent only 30 feet long would hardly satisfy present-day requirements, and no morays have yet been recorded which were half so -long. They have, however, been known to exceed ten feet In length, and they are among the most dreaded of fishes, having formidable teeth and showing a disposition to attack men. A fish of such peculiar form that ihe Italians call it mola, a millstone, and the Spaniards pez luna, moon-fish, is known to Americans and English Eng-lish as the sun-flsh, for it appears at the surface of the ocean on bright days and spends many hours basking listlessly In the sun, sometimes lying ly-ing flat- with one side just out of the water, sometimes some-times with the back fin projecting like a buoy above the surface. It Is disk-shaped, its height nearly equaling Us length, and It has a long, narrow nar-row fin on, its upper and lower edges posteriorly, and a short, broad flap representing the caudal fin; its eyes are large and its mouth small, and taken altogether it is one of the most grotesque of fishes, being apparently all head. Of almost world-wide distribution, its is particularly abundant abun-dant on the southeastern coast of the United States and onthe California coast. If swims but little, being usually content to be drifted along by the ocean currents. The Gulf Stream wafts many a sun-fish northward each summer, so that the species is not a rarity off southern New England, Eng-land, and I have seen a number of specimens that had become stranded on the coast of Norway. The fish is entirely harmless, and is so sluggish and listless, and is such a conspicuous object at sea, that it Is easily approached and harpooned. That the sun-fish deserves a place in the list of giant fishes may be Judged from the fact that, examples weighing 200 to 500 pounds are not rare, and that much larger ones are occasionally met with. The largest known specimen, harpooned in 1S93 at Redondo Beach, California, weighed 1,800 pounds. On such a monster, lying cn one side, there would be -room for 3u men to stand. The strong teeth, shaped like a turtle's lv-ak, suggest that hard-shelled animals constitute Its food, but as far as known jelly-fish are its chief diet. The extremely tough, fibrous skin, several inches thick, and the general coarseness of structure seem Inconsistent with such delicate food. The valuable mackerel family has one member mem-ber which easily ranks first in size among the bony fishes, as distinguished from the sharks, rays, sturgeons, etc., with gristly sk'.letons. This is the horse mackerel or great tunny (Thunnus thynnus), whose range encircles the globe and which Is an object of fisheries in many countries, notably southern Europe. Built on ihe compact and graceful lines of our common mackerel, it is he apolhesls of speed, alertness and vigor among fits It so admirably, appears to have developed its body at the expense of its brain, for is a sluggish, stupid glutton, about six times as long as an average aver-age man. At home in the arctic regions, it sometimes some-times makes visits as far south as Cape Cod, the . British Isles, and Oregon. One of the most prodigious and perhaps the most formidable of sharks is the "man-eater" (Car-charodon (Car-charodon carcharias). It roams through all temperate tem-perate and tropical seas and everywhere is an object of dread. Its maximum length is 40 feet and its tcvth are 3 incheslong. While there are few authentic instances of sharks attacking human beings, there have undoubtely been , many cases where sharks simply swallowed people who had fallen overboard, just as they would swallow any other food. How easy it would be for a man-eater to devour a person whole may be judged from the finding of an entire hundred-pound sea-lion in the stomach of a 30-foot shark on the California coast. The largest of all fishes, the largest of all cold blooded animals,.and the largest of all existing animals, ani-mals, with the exception of a few species of whales, is the whale shark (Rhineodon typicus), originally described from Cape of Good Hope, but now known from India, Japan, South America, Panama, California Cali-fornia and various other places, a small specimen having been obtained on the Florida coast a few years ago. This shark has a very broad and obtuse ob-tuse snout and an exceedingly wide mouth armed with numerous minute teeth; the dark-colored body is marked with many small whitish spots. The species spe-cies is stated to attain a length of 70 feet and is known to exceed 50 feet. Notwithstanding Its Immense Im-mense eize, however, It is harmless to man unless attacked, and feeds on the small creatures for which its teeth are adapted. Its huge bulk makes it dangerous in the same way that a whale is dangerous. dan-gerous. The ribbon-fishes constiute a group chiefly noteworthy note-worthy for their shape and the circumstances under un-der which they have been met with, although soma of them are among the most elongate of fishes Imagine a creature one foot high, three or four inches thick, and more than 20 feet long, with the consistency of a wet towel, and you will have some idea of a ribbon-fish. Our knowledge of these fishes is due to no activity ac-tivity on the part of zoologists in finding their liabl tat and collecting them therein, but to the circumstance cir-cumstance that when they die or lose their equilibrium equi-librium they fall upward and float on the surface, whence they are picked tip or drift ashore. Nearly all the specimens knoVn have been found dead or dying, and few, if any, have been secured in deep-sea deep-sea collecting apparatus. This suggests how frag menlary must be our knowledge- of the larger nni mals of the oceanic abyss and how possible It niighl be for unknown monsters to exist thi-ro in abu'k dance. |
