THE GREAT SEA SERPENT. 



435 



with general analogy to find some salient features of 

 several extinct forms." 



The form and habits of the recently- 

 recognized gigantic cuttles account for 

 so many appearances which, without 

 knowledge of them, were inexplicable 

 when Mr. Gosse and Mr. Newman 

 wrote, that I think this theory is not 

 now forced upon us. Mr. Gosse well 

 and clearly sums up the evidence as 

 follows : " Carefully comparing the 

 independent narratives of English 

 witnesses of known character and 

 position, most of them being officers 

 under the Crown, we have a creature 

 possessing the following character- 

 istics : 1st. The general form of a 

 serpent. 2nd. Great length, say above 

 sixty feet. 3rd. Head considered to 

 resemble that of a serpent. 4th. Neck 

 from twelve to sixteen inches in dia- 

 meter. 5th. Appendages on the head, 

 neck, or back, resembling a crest or 

 mane. (Considerable discrepancy in 

 details.) 6th. Colour dark brown, or 

 green streaked or spotted with white. 

 7th. Swims at surface of the water 

 with a rapid or slow movement, the 

 head and neck projected and elevated 

 above the surface. 8th. Progression, 

 steady and uniform ; the body straight, 

 but capable of being thrown into convolutions. 9th. Spouts 

 in the manner of a whale. loth. Like a long nun-buoy." 



2 F 2 



FIG. 25. 



