Sea Rat

No wonder that the Samoans and natives of the Tokelau Islands term the leather-jacket _isumu moana_ -- the sea-rat. ❋ Louis Becke (1884)

They proved just the ideal hook for the larger kind of sea-rat, which run up to 10 lb., and the natives were so greatly taken with the device that, whenever a ship touched at the island, short pieces of fine steel wire rigging were eagerly bought (or begged for). ❋ Louis Becke (1884)

The hound-shark, the basking-shark, and the port-beagle were not less loyal; and these, the most perfectly organized of my cartilaginous tribes, handed me over to the deep-swimming Norwegian 'sea-rat.' ❋ George Alfred Townsend (1877)

"sea-rat," I may mention that their four closely-set and humanlike teeth are so thick that they will often crush an ordinary hook as if it were made of glass, and as their mouths are exceedingly small, and many are heavy, powerful fishes, they cause havoc with ordinary tackle. ❋ Louis Becke (1884)

"leather-jackets," to which they have given the very appropriate name of _isuumu moana_ -- the sea-rat -- for they have a great trick of quietly biting a baited line a few inches above the hook. ❋ Louis Becke (1884)

That [sailor] left his [faithful] girlfriend for that [filthy] sea-rat. ❋ XxLunaxX (2011)

[Jack Woods] [looked] [like a little] sea rat last night. ❋ AndreJohnson80 (2011)