|
Description
Rumors of this
terrifying animal have been told and retold by
Martian canal pilots for years but were largely
discounted as native superstition. Recently a French
expedition actually killed one and returned with its
carcass. It is apparently a scavenger, although,
like the
roogie, it will attack if hungry. It
consists of a central body chamber, roughly like a
slightly flattened and elongated sphere, covered
with fat and a rubbery, gray-brown hide. It moves by
means of four large, heavy flipper feet and grasps
its prey with four long tentacles. It appears to eat
small creatures alive and whole when forced to hunt,
but it will inject a poison through its mouth
stinger into larger prey and take the carcass back
to its lair for consumption at its leisure.
Fortunately, this poison is now known not to be
fatal to Earth humans, although it does cause
unconsciousness followed by a period of
disorientation and weakness. One member of the
French expedition was stung and carried off to the
creature's lair; he later revived, escaped, and was
finally found wandering, tired, battered, and
partially incoherent, in the swamp. |
