THE SEA-SERPENTS OF SCIENCE. 



" There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, 

 Than are dreamt of in your philosophy." 



Hamlet. 



IN the dull season of the year, when there is a decided lack 

 of interesting or startling events, and when newspaper 

 editors are at their wits' end for material, three objects 

 derived from the domain of the biologist have been credited 

 with the task of reviving the tide of public interest, and of 

 restoring peace and composure to the editorial mind. It 

 need hardly be said that the three objects alluded to are : 

 " the frog from the solid rock," " the gigantic gooseberry," 

 occasionally supplemented by the discovery of " an egg of 

 marvellous proportions," and last, though by no means 

 least, comes the announcement made as if the being were 

 some eminent tragedian returning to the scene of former 

 triumphs of the " reappearance of the great sea-serpent ! " 

 People have come in fact to regard the annual advent of the 

 " Great Unknown " as a sure and settled event ; and doubt- 

 less there are many who would confess to a feeling of disap- 

 pointment did the season slip past without an announcement 

 of the mysterious stranger's visit. 



Notwithstanding the interest which the discussion of the 

 sea-serpent question inevitably evokes, there are compara- 

 tively few persons to be found who regard the question 

 from other than a purely sceptical point of view. The in- 

 telligence that the sea-serpent "has been seen again," is 



