THE MERMAID. 31 



" the animal was about three feet long, the upper part of the 

 body resembling the human, with protuberant mammae, 

 like a woman ; the face, forehead, and neck were short, 

 and resembled those of a monkey ; the arms, which were 

 small, were kept folded across the breast ; the fingers were 

 distinct, not webbed ; a few stiff, long bristles were on the 

 top of the head, extending down to the shoulders, and 

 these it could erect and depress at pleasure, something like 

 a crest. The inferior part of the body was like a fish. 

 The skin was smooth, and of a grey colour. It offered no 

 resistance, nor attempted to bite, but uttered a low, plaintive 

 sound. The crew, six in number, took it within their boat, 

 but, superstition getting the better of curiosity, they care- 

 fully disentangled it from the lines and a hook which had 

 accidentally become fastened in its body, and returned it 

 to its native element. It instantly dived, descending in a per- 

 pendicular direction." Mr. Edmonston, the original narrator 

 of this incident, was " a well-known and intelligent observer," 

 says Dr. Hamilton, and in a communication made by him 

 to the Professor of Natural History in the Edinburgh 

 University gave the following additional particulars, which 

 he had learned from the skipper and one of the crew of 

 the boat. "They had the animal for three hours within 

 the boat : the body was without scales or hair ; it was of a 

 silvery grey colour above, and white below ; it was like the 

 human skin ; no gills were observed, nor fins on the back 

 or belly. The tail was like that of a dog-fish ; the mammae 

 were about as large as those of a woman ; the mouth and lips 

 were very distinct, and resembled the human. Not one of 

 the six men dreamed of a doubt of its being a mermaid, 

 and it could not be suggested that they were influenced by 

 their fears, for the mermaid is not an object of terror to 

 fishermen : it is rather a welcome guest, and danger is 



