214 



been killed on the shores of America ; as that taken at Cape Anne 

 in 1817, which is figured in the Illustrated London News of 28th 

 October 1848, from the original American memoir. Neither the 

 Saccopharynx of Mitchell, nor the Ophignathus of Harwood, can 

 be considered as the animal we have described. The Saccophart/nx 

 is said to be 4^ feet long ; the Ophignathus was six feet. Neither 

 of them in size or form will, in the language of Mr Owen, " satisfy 

 the conditions of the problem." 



I must except from this category, however, the animal seen from 

 H.M.S. Dadalus ; and the account of it given by Captain M'Quhae 

 and his officers. In their statements there are no suspicious affecta- 

 tions of minute detail. Their simple narrative appears to deserve 

 more attention than it has yet received from naturalists ; and I 

 strongly incline to the belief, that the animal seen by the crew of 

 the Dcedalus was an analogue of, if not the very same species, as 

 the animal cast ashore in Orkney in 1808. 



Considering the derision with which, in this country, the subject of 

 the Sea-serpent has been treated, and the ridicule attempted to be 

 thrown on all who were bold enough to assert that they had seen 

 such an animal, nothing but a consciousness of his unimpeachable 

 veracity could have tempted the gallant Captain M'Quhae to en- 

 counter the sneers of his incredulous countrymen. From all I have 

 heard of his character for sagacity and veracity, from those who inti- 

 mately knew him, I have not the smallest doubt that he has faith- 

 fully described what he and his crew saw distinctly, and at a short 

 distance from the ship. 



The animal seen from H.M.S. Dcedalus on 6th August 1848, 

 in lat. 24° 44' S., long. 9° 22' E. — " It was seen rapidly approach- 

 ing before the beam." Captain M'Quhae says : " On our attention 

 being called to the object, it was discovered to be an enormous ser- 

 pent, with head and shoulders kept about four feet constantly above 

 the surface of the sea. The diameter of the serpent was about 

 fifteen or sixteen inches behind the head ; its colour of a dark brown, 

 with yellowish- white about the throat." 



The Captain could discover no fins, but " something like the 

 mane of a horse, or rather a bunch of sea-weed, washed about its 

 back." He thought that its head did certainly resemble that of a 

 snake ; but the drawing which he transmitted to the Admiralty has 

 not, to the eye of a naturalist, the form of that of any snake. The 



