3426 Reptiles, 



much. I have no decided opinion either way, but I trust that such of your correspon- 

 dents as have the opportunity will not fail to collect evidence on the subject, as it is 

 highly desirable that the point should be settled. I may only remark, that as the bird 

 has been described as a distinct species by great authorities, it appears to me that the 

 onus probandi lies with those who affirm that it is not, and that they ought to show- 

 that they have full and sufficient grounds for maintaining that belief. I should add, 

 that the two eggs I obtained on the North Warmsey, do not differ from undoubted 

 specimens of those of U. Troile, except in being rather smaller and less pointed than 

 the average of them ; and an egg sent me last year by Mr. Procter, marked " Hring- 

 langlefia," exhibits the same peculiarities as those I took, but in a greater degree. — 

 Alfred Newton ; Magdalene College, Cambridge, March 15, 1852. 



Occurrence of Triton palmipes in Scotland. — Last April I saw Triton palmipes, 

 Daud., in plenty, on moors between the foot of Ben Nevis and the Caledonian Canal, 

 and in the same little pools where the common toad was spawning. The record of 

 any new locality is useful in tracing the distribution of a species. I have not hap- 

 pened to hear of this newt being found in England, except in the South and South- 

 west.—/. Wolley; 21, Cambridge Terrace, Hyde Park, March, 1852. 



Reported Capture of the Sea-serpent. — " Ship Monongahela, at Sea, Feb. 6. — A 

 small vessel has just been reported from my mast-head, and as she is apparently bound 

 into some of the northern ports, I intend to speak her, purposely to acquaint, through 

 your widely diffused journal, the people of the United States, of the fact of the exist- 

 ence and capture of the sea serpent — a monster deemed fabulous by many — but the 

 truth of whose existence is for ever settled, and, I trust I shall be excused in saying, by 

 Yankee intrepidity. On the morning of January 13, when in latitude 3 deg. 10 min. 

 south, and longitude 131 deg. 50 min. west, the man on the look out, seated on the 

 foretopmast cross-trees, sang out ' White water ! ' and in reply to my ' Where away ? ' 

 said ' Two points on the lee bow.' Supposing it to be made by sperm whales, and be- 

 ing very anxious to obtain oil, I ordered the ship to be kept off, and immediately went 

 aloft with my spyglass. I will observe that for several days we had been struggling 

 along with very light and baffling winds, but at daylight of the morning of the 13th 

 the wind had drawn to the south-south-west, become steady, and threatened to blow a 

 gale. I was aloft nearly half an hour before I observed anything like • white water,' 

 and then I presumed it to be made by a ' school,' or rather shoal of porpoises ; but 

 wishing to be certain, I ordered the mate, as it was seven bells, to turn up all hands, 

 square in the yards, and send out the port studding sails. It being my breakfast hour 

 I urged the man to keep both eyes open, and came down ; but before I reached the' 

 deck my attention was called <to the sudden and vehement cry of Onnetu Vanjan, a 

 Marquesan Islander, ' Oh ! look ! look ! Me see ! — too much — too much ! ' All eyes 

 were instantly directed to the savage to ascertain where he was looking, and then all 

 eyes turned to the lee quarter. I had just time to see 'black skin' when it disappear- 

 ed. The native was excited, and in reply to my question said, 'No whale — too much 

 — too big — too long. Me no see all same dat fellar — me fraid.' Not being able to 

 tell which way the animal or fish was bound, I luffed and came aback, ordering the' 

 lines into the boats and the crews to ' stand by.' The horizon was scanned in every di- 

 rection for nearly an hour, when giving up all hopes I braced forward and went below. 



