108 TKANSACTIONS 01- TUE [fEB. 22y 



tire thorax aiui abdomen were something less in bulk than those 

 of an ox. Tlie head was absent. The neck was represented by 

 only two or three feet in length. The long caudal portion ap- 

 peared to be covered by little but liganicntary structure, which 

 presented sharp-cutting tools. It exhibited something of the aspect 

 of a saurian's tail, the vertebroe occupying most of the structure. 

 There was an opening into the abdomen from whence the intes- 

 tines protruded. Ragged remains of distinctly-determined fore- 

 limbs or flippers were noticed. There was no appearance of pel- 

 vic development. The captain of the schooner Mystery, com- 

 manded by Captain Hiscock, of St. Lucia, Florida, writes me: 

 "The carcass was found near shore, about one hundred and 

 twenty-five miles south of my place of residence, at New River 

 inlet, Florida (on the east coast), about the first of May." 



Chas. Coman, keeper of Fort Lauderdale Station, U. S. L. S.S. 

 states: ''The body had neither flukes nor head. Tlie whole 

 surface was so excoriated by grinding on the beach and by fishes 

 that it looked like a mass of strings, glistening wiiite, and so 

 tough I could scarcely pierce it witli my bowie. Tliere was an 

 opening in the abdomen through which the entrails protruded. 

 The latter, like the rest of the carcass, were torn and worn by 

 the sand. As the most important part, the skull, was wanting, 

 I made no attempt to save the skeleton." 



Mr. Gordon used all the facilities in his power to secure the 

 remains. The carcass was hauled up the beach and buried, but 

 it is probable that subsequent severe storms carried it away. 



President Newberry remarked that he could testify from 

 personal observation that there are in the ocean some large ani- 

 mals yet unknown to science. Once when becalmed in mid- 

 ocean he had seen from the crosstrees a cylindrical snake-like 

 animal pass near the ship just below the surface. It was twenty 

 feet or more in length, and perhaps twenty inches in diameter in 

 the middle. It swam rapidly and steadily, ai)parently by means 

 of a caudal fin. It did not come to the surface to breathe, at 

 least for half an hour; and was therefore probably an Elasmo- 

 branch fish, but certainly not one which has been described. 



