286 HERBIVOROUS CETACEA. 



many years ago the Wernerian Natural History 

 Society (and to its praise we tell it) publicly offered 

 a prize of considerable pecuniary value to the indi- 

 vidual who would first present them with one of 

 these far-famed animals ; and by many this offer 

 was regarded as a proof of weakness and credulity. 

 Not long afterwards, however, the following state- 

 ments appeared in one of the periodicals of the day, 

 for the general truth of which, from personal know- 

 ledge of some of the parties, we can vouch. " A 

 short while ago it was reported that a fishing boat, 

 off the island of Yell, one of the Shetland group, 

 had captured a mermaid by its getting entangled in 

 the lines ! ! The statement is, that the animal was 

 about three feet long, the upper part of the body 

 resembling the human, with protuberant mammas 

 like a woman ; the face, forehead, and neck, were 

 short, and resembling those of a monkey ; the arms, 

 which were small, were kept folded across the 

 breast ; the fingers were distinct, not webbed ; a 

 few stiff long bristles were on the top of the head, 

 extending down to the shoulders, and them it could 

 erect and depress at pleasure, something like a crest. 

 The inferior part of the body was like a fish. The 

 skin was smooth, and of a grey colour. It offered 

 no resistance, nor attempted to bite, but uttered a 

 low plaintive sound. The crew, six in number, 

 took it within their boat, but superstition getting 

 the better of curiosity, they carefully disentangled 

 it from the lines, and a hook which had accidentally 

 fastened in its body, and returned it to its native 



