Big Game at Sea 



The mouth of the ray was of ominous dimensions, 

 and afforded room for a man to lie very snugly coiled 

 up within. The teeth were very small, but the extraor- 

 dinary feature of this fish the one which has given 

 rise to many tales, true and legendary is its two 

 tentacles or claspers, fleshy objects about four or five 

 inches wide and three feet long, which extend out- 

 ward from each side of the mouth. Their office is 

 undoubtedly to aid in securing food. When the fish 

 is moving they are in constant motion, being whirled 

 about like the tentacles of a squid, and that they are 

 muscular and powerful has been demonstrated on 

 many occasions. The natural movement of the clasp- 

 ers is inward, and when any object strikes between 

 them it is instinctively held a proceeding which 

 explains the undoubted fact that these fishes can run 

 away with vessels. 



At least five instances of this were heard of on the 

 reef occurring from Tampa Bay to Garden Key, and 

 the Hon. Wm. Elliott, formerly of Beaufort, S. C., 

 a famous hunter of this game, reports two instances 

 from that State. In every case the vessels, always 

 at anchor, suddenly moved off in a mysterious man- 

 ner and were towed greater or less distances. The 

 ray had collided with the chain, and, true to its 

 instincts, threw its two tentacular feelers or claspers 

 around it and rushed ahead, thus lifting the anchor. 

 That the claspers are very powerful is well shown by 

 the experience of Mr. Elliott, who, in endeavoring 



18 



