J-g SCIENTIFIC NEWS. 



The head was not larger than that of a seal, and was fur- 

 nished with two blowholes. From the back, a number of 

 filaments (resembling in texture the substance called silk- 

 worm gut, or Indian sea grass) hung down like a mane. On 

 each side of the body were three large fins, shaped like 

 paws, and jointed. Before measures could be taken for se- 

 curing this rare animal for the inspection of naturalists, a 

 violent tempest unfortunately occurred, and beat the carGase 

 to pieces. Some fragments however have been collected by 

 Mr. Malcolm Laing, and are to be deposited in the Museum 

 of the University of Edinburgh. Mr. Neill concluded 

 with remarking, that no doubt could be entertained, that 

 this was the kind of animal which had served as the proto- 

 type of all the wonderful sea-snakes, whose appearance is 

 on record; and that although the unfortunate destruction 

 of the specimen by the storm may probably render it im- 

 possible to form a correct generic character on Linnean 

 principles, yet a place (if it should be in an appendix,) 

 could no longer be refused by the most scrupulous natur- 

 alists to the serpens marinus magnus of the bishop of Ber- 

 gen. 

 Sea unlcom. At the meeting of this Society the 10th of December, the 

 Secretary read a communication from the Rev. John Fle- 

 ming of Bressay, describing a narwhal, or sea-unicorn, of 

 the sort denominated le ndrwal microcephale, by la Ce- 

 p&de, which had been lately cast ashore alive at Weisdale 

 Sound in Zetland. The description was accompanied with 

 a correct drawing of the animal, which is to be engraved. 

 Mineralogy of At the same meeting, Dr. Ogilby of Dublin read a paper 

 Fassnet. oq ^ g transition greenstone of Fassnet in East Lothian, 



which beside much valuable mineralogical information, con- 

 tained a satisfactory answer to the query proposed some time 

 ago by Professor Jameson in regard to the goegnostic rela- 

 tions of the rocks of this tract of country. The descrip- 

 tions of the individual rocks, and their general and particu- 

 lar geognostic relations, were detailed with ability; and the 

 interest of the whole was increased by acute observations on 

 the mode of examining and discriminating rocks,— a subject 

 of high value, particularly to those who may be employed 

 in examining the mineralogy of a country. 



The 



