348 THE GREAT UNKNOWN. 



other conspicuous modifications of hard and naked cuticle; 

 nostrils not mentioned, but indicated in the drawing by 

 a crescentic mark at the end of the nose or muzzle; 

 body long, dark brown, not undulating, without dorsal or 

 other apparent fins ; — ' but something like the mane of a 

 horse, or rather a bunch of sea-weed washed about its 

 back/" 



The earlier of these characters are those " of the head 

 of a warm-blooded mammal ; none of them those of a 

 cold-blooded reptile or fish." The comparison of the 

 dimly-seen something on the back to a horse's mane or 

 sea-weed, seems to indicate a clothing of hair ; and, guided 

 by this interpretation, the Professor judges that the 

 animal was not a cetacean, but rather a great seal. 



Now, it is manifest that it was from the pictorial 

 sketches, more than from the verbal description of 

 Captain M'Quhse, that this diagnosis was drawn up. And 

 if the drawings had been made /row the life, under the 

 direction of a skilful zoologist, nothing could be more 

 legitimate than such a use of them. But surely it has 

 been overlooked that they were made under no such 

 circumstances. Only one of the published representations 

 was original ; and this was taken " immediately after 

 the animal was seen. " * That is, one of the officers, who 

 could draw, went below immediately, and attempted to I 

 reproduce what his eye was still filled with. Now, what i 



j 



• The enlarged view of the head was no doubt made up from one \ 

 of the other drawings expressly for the Illustrated London News, and 

 therefore claims no independent value. 



