i96 Deseription of a Mermaid. 
self, having the animal in my possession an hour, and the 
description is from my own observation, taking minutes at 
the time. I regret it is not in my power to give a Scientific 
description, but you must use these facts for that purpose, 
and lay it before the Society of which you are a member. 
I offered for it $1000, which was as much as [I dare risk. 
I have heard the animal is taken to Europe, where it is prob- 
able a particular account of it will be published. Until 
this came under my observation, I was a disbeliever in the 
existence of an animal inhabiting water, so much resembling 
a human being. Now I ain convinced—I was only disap- 
pointed in its size. I had conceived the idea they were 
much larger, if they existed at all. 
Its extreme length from head to tail, 27 inches. Arms, 
including hand, 13} divided thus, 8} from end of finger to 
elbow—from thence to shoulder 5;—the hands beautifully 
formed—fingers tapering and nails long, delicate and white, 
projecting a little beyond the flesh—it isa female, and froma 
every appearance, full grown. The breasts were of good 
size, resembling those of a human being, and were rela- 
tively situated—immediately under them, commenced the 
The head large in proportion, of human form, rather 
round—the hair upon it coarse and black—most upon the 
right side—the other appeared inclining to baldness, cheeks 
project nearly in a line with the nose, which is perfectly hu- 
man, rather flat, and with large nostrils. The ears were hu- 
man, and properly placed—there isa little hair down the back 
e neck to where the shoulders set on—eye sockets 
rather large—the head was so set, that its vision when pros- 
trate was at about an angle of 45° upwards—which as you 
hold it erect gives it the appearance of a hump-backed per- 
son. Ihe neck finely formed, rather long, and upon the 
Adam’s apple, a small lock of hair. Lips human—mouth 
large, and the eye teeth were like tusks—the others were 
like those of a human being. The line of demarkation be- 
tween the fish and woman, is at the commencement of the 
scales immediately under the breasts, where the scales are sO 
fine, you can only see them with a powerful magnifying 
glass—they gradually increase in size as you approach t 
tail, where they are little larger than those of a haddock, and 
adhere firmly. The skin above, was evidently smooth and 
