96 LEISURE-TIME STUDIES. 



usually reckoned as equivalent to the statement that some 

 grog-laden mariner has been exhibiting that phenomenon 

 known to physiologists as "unconscious cerebration;" or 

 that some observer has been interpreting an unusual ap- 

 pearance in the sea by the light of the serpentine myth. 

 Occasionally the subject affords an opportunity for the dis- 

 play of the anything but scientific use of the imagination of 

 some feeble jokers, who succeed in imposing upon the 

 credulity of editors, and in seeing their absurd descriptions 

 of fictitious animals in all the prominence of large type. I 

 have before me at the present time a most circumstantial 

 account of the "capture of the sea-serpent at Oban," in 

 which the animal is described as having been attacked by a 

 file of volunteers armed with rifles, and by a perfect flotilla 

 of yachts and boats. The animal was, according to this, 

 account, happily delivered over to the tender mercies of the 

 native talent. After causing stones to fly in showers by the 

 sweep of its tail as it lay on the beach, it was secured, and 

 a list of zoological characters such as belong to no one 

 known animal is duly given. It can hardly be deemed 

 astonishing that a non-scientific London entrepreneur, on 

 reading the account of the monster's capture, at once tele- 

 graphed to secure it for exhibition. History, it need scarcely 

 be said, does not record the sayings of this gentleman on 

 learning that, as one of the credulous public, he had been 

 duly hoaxed. 



The literature of the subject is in one sense a huge 

 record of mistakes and errors in observation, and the ordi- 

 nary public, as well as the scientific world, have long 

 been accustomed to accept the erroneous side as representa- 

 tive of the entire subject, and as if no element or substratum 

 of probability and fact was included in the whole matter. 

 Thus, for example, because on one occasion an alleged sea- 

 serpent on closer investigation was proved to consist of a 

 long train or tail of sea-weed, with some heterogeneous 

 material serving for the head, or since, on other occasions 

 forms described as being of serpentine size have resolved 



