G. GENERAL NATURAL HISTORY AND ZOOLOGY. 297 



undulation of these curves, and was extremely rapid ; in fact, 

 it made a hissing rush through the water, quite audible from 

 the vessel of the observer, the sea being quite still, and no 

 wind blowing. 



The party observing the animal was in a sail-boat, and at 

 one time within one hundred yards, at which distance, by 

 means of opera-glasses, it could be seen very distinctly. When 

 nearest, the sea could be plainly noticed running off its neck 

 and the back of its head as it does from a low, flat rock which 

 has been submerged by the waves. The curves into which 

 it threw itself were supposed to be for the purpose of expos- 

 ing as much of the body as possible to the air, as when mov- 

 ing rapidly it appeared to be perfectly straight. Some of the 

 party thought that the tumult of water about the neck was 

 caused by a lashing motion, as of a mane, but nothing of this 

 kind was clearly distinguished. The head appeared flat, and 

 the observers could see distinctly under the chin. Some 

 thought they could distinguish a back fin sticking up, but of 

 this they were not certain. In the distance the color was 

 black. 



The writer calls attention to the close resemblance of this 

 animal in its general character to the sea-serpent so frequent- 

 ly reported as existing in the Norwegian fiords, and states 

 that the resemblance heretofore noticed to a string of barrels, 

 one after the other, was very striking. The idea of this being 

 a school of porpoises was considered entirely absurd, as the 

 water was perfectly clear, and the undulations were occasion- 

 ally quite fixed for some seconds. The elongated head and 

 neck were always manifest. Occasionally the greater part 

 of the body would sink below the surface, leaving the head 

 and neck exposed. 



Mr. Buckland,in commenting upon this communication, re- 

 fers to various drawings, figures, and descriptions of early 

 writers as being corroborated in every respect by the account 

 just given ; and he thinks that the coasts of Norway and of 

 Northern Scotland are certainly inhabited by living creatures 

 which, for the want of a better name, may be called great 

 sea-snakes. The theory of the animal being a string of por- 

 poises or a basking shark he considers to be entirely inadmis- 

 sible. He thinks it may possibly be a Gymnetrus a large, 

 slender fish, shaped like a sword-blade, sometimes attaining a 



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