Sea Snakes, and Sea Serpents. 365 



I shall refer it thereto, with doubt, and name it OcliposP cocci- 

 neus. Entirely of a bright crimson: head acute. Nothing further 

 descriptive was added in the gazettes where the account was 

 given, except that its length was supposed to be about 40 feet. 



4. Lake Erie Serpent. It appears that our large lakes have 

 huge serpents or fishes, as well as the sea. On the 3d of July, 

 1817, one was seen in Lake Erie, three miles from land, by the 

 crew of a schooner, which was 35 or 40 feet long, and one foot 

 in diameter ; its colour was a dark mahogany, nearly black. This 

 account is rerv imperfect, and does not even notice if it had scales; 

 therefore it must remain doubtful whether it was a snake or a fish. 

 I am inclined to believe it was a fish, until otherwise convinced : 

 it might be a gigantic species of eel, or a species of the above 

 genus Octipos. Until seen again, and better described, it may 

 be recorded under the name of Anguilla gigas, or Gigantic Eel. 



ADDITIONS. 



1 . The Pelamis megopkias, or Great Sea Snake, appears to 

 have left the shores of Massachusetts, and to have baffled the at- 

 tempts to catch it, probablv because those attempts were con- 

 ducted with very little judgement. But a smaller snake, or fish, 

 uine feet long, and a strange shark, have been taken, of which 

 the papers give no description : let us hope that they will be de- 

 scribed by the naturalists of Boston. 



2. It appears that another large species of Water Snake is no- 

 ticed by D. Felix Azara, in his Travels in South America (Paris, 

 1S09, 4 vols. 8vo), under the name of Curiyu, which may belong 

 to the genus Pelamis, although this worthy traveller has omitted 

 to describe its tail and scales. It may be called and characterized 

 as follows: Pelamis curis. {Curiyu. Azara, Trav. vol. i. p. 22G.) 

 Spotted and variegated, of black and yellowish white. It mea- 

 sures over 10 feet, and is of the size of the leg: it lives in the 

 lakes and rivers of Paraguay, north of the 3 1st degree of latitude. 

 It goes sometimes on land (and among shrubs), but moves heavily : 

 it has a dreadful aspect, but does not bite; it lives on fishes, young 

 otters, apereas, and copibaras. 



3. The Water Snake of Lake Erie has been seen again, and 

 described to be of a copper colour, with bright eyes, and 60 feet 

 long. It is added, that at a short distance iialis had no effect on 

 him: but it is omitted to mention whether it vvas owing to h.iving 

 hard scales (in which case it might be a real snake of tlic genus 

 En/iydris or Pelamii), or to the indcxterity of the marksman. 



4. Mr. W. Lee has brought to notice another Sea Snake, seen 

 by him many years ago near (Jape Breton and Newfoundland, 

 which was over 200 feet long, with the back of a dark green: it 



stood 



