1 04 Annals of the Philosophical Club 



Mr. Bell expressed doubts whether any shark could 

 correspond with the description of the sea-serpent, but 

 Sir C. Lyell, while admitting the difficulty, suggested a 

 way of overcoming it, and said that the teeth of a shark 

 (Carcharodon megalodon) found in the Crag of Norfolk and 

 Suffolk were sometimes very large. 1 



The subject was resumed at the I5th meeting (Nov. 23rd), 

 when Mr. Owen criticized the evidence in favour of the 

 existence of a sea-serpent, and particularly of that said to 

 have occurred in the Hebrides. The two vertebrae from 

 this, in the Museum of the College of Surgeons, belonged 

 to the Basking Shark (Selache maxima}? He showed how 

 readily false impressions might be produced, and quoted an 

 extract 3 from the private log of Lieutenant Edgar Drum- 

 mond, which he regarded as more trustworthy than Captain 

 M'Quhae's, for it was written down the same day, and the 

 other one reproduced from memory some two months 

 afterwards. Lieutenant Drummond stated that the head, 

 with the back fin, was the only part visible to him, the one 

 being long, pointed, and flattened at the top, perhaps 10 

 feet in length, the upper jaw projecting considerably. The 

 fin, visible occasionally, "was perhaps 20 feet in rear of the 

 head. The creature pursued a steady and undeviating 

 course, keeping its head horizontal with the water, and in 

 rather a raised position, disappearing occasionally beneath 

 a wave for a very brief interval. ... It was going at the 

 rate of perhaps from 12 to 14 miles an hour, and when 

 nearest was perhaps 100 yards distant. ... It was visible 

 to the naked eye for five minutes and with a glass for perhaps 

 fifteen more. The weather was dark and squally at the 

 time, with some sea running." Professor Owen remarked 



1 They may measure 5 inches along the margin with a basal width of 

 4 inches. (Nicholson and Lydekker, Paleontology, page 945.) 



2 The Basking Shark of the Atlantic (Cetorhinus maximus), which 

 grows to over 30 feet in length, and that of the Pacific and Indian Oceans 

 (Rhinodon typicus), which can exceed 45 feet, have, however, small teeth. 

 The living species of Carcharodon (now named C. Rondeletii) attains to- 

 40 feet. 



3 Printed in the Cornwall Gazette. 



