THE LITERARY 



OF THE LINN^AN ASSOCIATION OF PENNSYLVANIA COLLEGE. 



Vol. II. JANUARY, 1846. No. 3. 



THE HYDRARCHOS, OR FOSSIL SEA SERPENT, 



"Have you seen the monstrous sea-serpent at the Museum ?" 



'•No, not yet." 



"What! Is it possible, that you who take some interest in fossils, 

 have not yet seen that astonishing curiosity ?" 



"I have heard it was a humbug." 



"That is impossible : the merest tyro in comparative anatomy will 

 observe, after a short inspection, that all these bones once belonged to 

 the same or a similar animal, and that they fit precisely." 



"On your recommendation, I'll go." 



The above conversation took place between a sensible friend and 

 myself, who is much better acquainted with fossils than 1 pretend to be. 



I went to the place of exhibition and was amazed at the regular dis- 

 position of 106 separate bones into a serpentine form, the whole 

 wound out into a length of 114 feet. In order to accommodate the im- 

 mense animal in any room less than its length, it is necessary to convo- 

 lute it, so that literally, its "course is not direct, but serpentme.'''' It 

 winds round the four sides of one large room, and the enormously long 

 tail is run out into another. The accompanying cut is a good represen- 

 tation, though it conveys no idea of the amazing length of the skeleton. 

 The bones of the neck and head are supported on iron frames or shelves, 

 and those of the body and tail, on a narrow continuous stage or coun- 

 ter, upheld by trusses, as seen in the figure. The ribs are fixed on iron 

 hoops, which are screwed to the counter for a support. There's noth- 

 ing heautiful about the skeleton, as may well be supposed, and any col- 

 lection of mere dry bones, on the commons or near a slaughter-house, 

 would be as interesting to the uninitiated as this. 



But, after all, what is this .' — if genuine, you here see the remains of 

 a serpent-like animal that some time ago inhabited that section of the 

 globe which now constitutes the State of Alabama. "Some time ago •* — 

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