426 SEA MONSTERS UNMASKED. 



were those of a turtle, and the animal resembled a huge seal, the 

 resemblance being strongest about the back of the head. I could not 

 see the length of the head, but from its crown or top to just below the 

 shoulder (where it became immersed), I should reckon about fifty feet. 

 The tail end I did not see, being under water, unless the ridge of fins 

 to which my attention was first attracted, and which had disappeared 

 by the time I got a telescope, were really the continuation of the 

 shoulder to the end of the object's body. The animal's head was 

 not always above water, but was thrown upwards, remaining above^ 

 for a few seconds at a time, and then disappearing. There was an 

 entire absence of ' blowing,' or ' spouting.' I herewith beg to enclose 

 a rough sketch, showing the view of the ' ridge of fins,' and also of the 

 animal in the act of propelling itself by its two fins." 



From this description, and the drawings by which it was 

 accompannied, it seemed impossible to identify the appear- 

 ance with that of any one animal yet known. The ridge of 

 dorsal fins might, possibly, as was suggested by Mr. Frank 

 Buckland, belong to four basking sharks, swimming in line, 

 in close order ; but the combination of them with long 

 flippers, and the turtle-like mode of swimming, formed a 

 zoological enigma which, when the first edition of this book 

 was written, I was unable to solve. Soon after its publica- 

 tion, however, I received from an officer of H.M.S. Monarch 

 a communication which throws light on this incident, and, 

 I have no doubt, furnishes the true explanation of it. He 

 wrote as follows : 



" H.M.S. Monarch sailed from Gibraltar for Spithead on the 6th of 

 June, 1877, and whilst steaming slowly along the Portuguese coast 

 those on board witnessed a very unusual spectacle, namely, a number 

 of (from ten to twelve) enormous fishes, apparently whales, swimming 

 on the surface of the calm summer sea, generally in single file and close 

 order, marching and counter-marching with the utmost regularity, but, 

 now and then, breaking into disorder and confusion. The 'explanation 

 which occurred to me was that they were ' black-fish,' or whales of 

 some other species, swimming in the track of, and in pursuit of, a 

 single female of the same kind. Little was thought of this occurrence, 

 and it would doubtless soon have been forgotten, but that on arriving 



