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RECORD SHARKS STRUGGLE Big Leopard Harpooned in Florida Succumbs Only to Bullets Tows Boat Forty Minutes After Being BeingVitally Vitally Struck Baltetl with withDead Dead GOUT MIAMI Fla July 8 A leopard shark recently harpooned by Capt Charles Thomson was landed on the occasion of one of the periodic shark hunts of the Miami Anglers Club ClubA A dead cow was anchored near Soldiers Key south of Miami and the waters plentifully sprinkled with blood even a small amount of which will attract leopard sharks the tigers of the sea for miles around aroundAs As the big shark in question came tip to what he fancied his prey Capt Thomson succeeded in landing a harpoon squarely in the middle of his back and from that moment on the sharks doom was sealed though he behaved in a manner entirely unconcerned unconcernedIt It is a characteristic of leopard sharks not to stir up much fuss and commotion when harpooned but to go on about their business as usual swim ¬ ming powerfully but calmly and with apparent con ¬ fidence in their ability to escape escapeThis This may be accounted for by the peculiar savage ness and ferocity of these beasts which truly know no conqueror save man incredible tales are told of their power and viciousness when in pursuit of prey and truly a look at them with their huge maws and terrifying teeth is enough to engender belief in the wildest story that has ever been concocted for their benefit benefitThe The particular shark in question however had met his master and after about forty minutes of towing the boat about finally was brought close enough for a second harpoon after which he was more roughly handled As long as there is only one harpoon in a shark more or less delicate handling is required as the iwwer of the brutes is such that they are apt to break the line at any moment With two harpoons in ploce however it is safe to haul vigorously vigorouslyHARPOONED HARPOONED SHARK EXTREMELY VICIOUS VICIOUSShort Short shrift is given shark and consequently as soon as he could be hauled near he was plentifully perforated with bullets from an automatic revolver and brought ashore ashoreIt It is never safe to play with shark especially of the leopard variety when close toa boat Usual ¬ ly when they realize the nature of the opposition they are encountering they will roll over and try to bite the lines that hold them and once they get them fairly within their jaws they generally accomplish their purpose Or failing in this they will close their eyes and rush the boat biting any projection they can get hold of ofCapt Capt Thomson recently had a struggle with a leopard shark which bit off one of the struts on the propeller of his boat and then grabbed the boat by the rudden and shook it as a terrier shakes a rat When the boat was hauled out for repairs several of the sharks teeth were found firmly em ¬ bedded in the heavy oak oakLeopard Leopard shark are the only variety of shark capable of closing their eyes which they accomplish by turning their eyes up inside of them the eyeball being replaced by a whitish membrane underlaid with powerful muscles capable of enduring the severest blow blowWhen When a leopard shark closes his eyes and starts to come says Capt Thomson look out because he is going right through the boat if he can bit ¬ ing out anything ahead of him For this reason no time is lost quieting the shark as soon as pos ¬ sible He is not a creature to be monkeyed with at any time
