212 CURIOUS CREATURES. 



the night he would climb up into ships ; upon which the 

 side of the vessel, where he seated himself, would in- 

 stantly sink downward, and, if he remained there any 

 considerable time, even go under water." 



jElian tells us, that it is reported that the great sea 

 which surrounds the Island of Taprobana (Ceylon} con- 

 tains an immense multitude of fishes and whales, and 

 some of them have the heads of lions, panthers, rams, 

 and other animals ; and (which is more wonderful still) 

 some of the Cetaceans have the form of Satyrs. 



Gesner obligingly depicts this Pan, Sea Satyr, Ichthyo 



centaurus, or Sea Demon, as he is indifferently called, and 

 wants to pass it off as a veritable Merman, probably on 

 account of its human-like trunk. He also quotes ./Elian 

 as to the authenticity of this monster, and he gives a 

 picture of another Man-fish, which he says was seen at 

 Rome, on the third of November, 1523. Its size was 

 that of a boy about five years of age. (See next page.) 

 Mermen and Mermaids do not seem to affect any par- 

 ticular district, they were met with all over the world 

 and records of their having been seen, come to us from 

 all parts. That was well, and occurred in the ages of 



