Aquatic Reptiles 225 



Hydrachus drew an excellent gate for 

 some time until some German naturalists 

 exposed the hoax. The " serpent " was 

 found to consist of the remains of several 

 specimens of a fossil whale. 



About the same time all kinds of 

 master mariners and others testified on 

 oath to the presence of marine monsters, 

 ornamented with horns, spines and other 

 appendages, and such accounts were 

 hailed with delight by the pressmen of 

 all nations. 



Since the advent of the camera and 

 the increased duty upon alcohol, how- 

 ever, the sea serpent appears to have 

 become unusually shy. 



