2l6 



SEA FABLES EXPLAINED. 



starved appearance. The upper part of the body is in the 

 attitude of a Sphinx, leaning upon its elbows and fore-arms. 

 The arms are thin and scraggy, and the fingers attenuated 



FIG. 14. A JAPANESE ARTIFICIAL MERMAID. 



and skeleton-like. The nails are formed of small pieces of 

 ivory or bone. The head is like that of a small monkey, and 

 a little wool covers the crown, so thinly and untidily that if 

 the mermaid possessed a crystal mirror she would see the 

 necessity for the vigorous use of her 

 comb of pearl. The teeth are those 

 of some fish apparently of the cat- 

 fish, (Anarchicas lupus). These Japa- 

 nese artificial mermaids have brought 

 many a dollar into the pockets of 

 Mr. Barnum and other showmen. 



Somewhat different in appearance 

 from this, but of the same kind, was 

 an artificial mermaid described in the 

 Saturday Magazine of June 4th, 1836. 

 Fig. 15 is a> facsimile of the woodcut 

 which accompanied it. This grotesque 

 composition was exhibited in a glass 

 case, some years previously, " in a 

 leading street at the west end " of 

 London. It was constructed " of the skin of the head and 

 shoulders of a monkey, which was attached to the dried 



FIG. 15. AN ARTIFICIAL 

 MERMAID, PROBABLY 

 JAPANESE. 



