2358 Fishes. 



bottom, unless I cut the harpoon lines, and I was reluctant — in the excitement of the 

 chase — to do this and give up my prize; so, as the four men, as well as myself, 

 could swim, I merely warned them to jump overboard in case of need ; but this was 

 not necessary, as I managed to steer clear of the ship, passing her at a rapid rate, to 

 the amusement of all on board, After this the creature made such sudden turns that 

 it was no easy task to steer the boat. We made no attempt to lift the fish, and I 

 had no opportunity of measuring him, but I imagine him to have been about 23 feet 

 in width across the back. The smaller fish of the same species we hoisted on board. 

 I could not ascertain its weight ; but of this some idea may be formed by the fact that 

 sixty men were unable to lift him on board with the yard tackles : the heaviest pur- 

 chases in the ship, with one hundred and fifty men, were required for this purpose. 

 The following measurements were taken : — 



ft. in. 



Width across the back 19 



Width of mouth, which was furnished with two rows of 



formidable teeth 3 5 



Thickness of the flesh 3 6 



There was a sort of arm projecting from the shoulder, as represented in the sketch, 

 which gives a general idea of the creature's figure. These fish usually remain at the 

 bottom of the sea ; but on a calm day, when the heat of the sun is great, they occa- 

 sionally bask on the surface, in which position they were when I struck them." Capt. 

 C. B. Hamilton considers his sketch too imperfect for publication. I hope, however, 

 to give further particulars before long, and in the meantime beg to propose the provi- 

 sional name of Brachioptilon Hamiltoni to this enormous inhabitant of the deep. — 

 Edward Neivman. 



Inquiries respecting the Bones of a large Marine Animal cast ashore on the Island 

 of Stronsa in 1808. — In the 'Memoirs of the Wernerian Natural History Society ' (vol. 

 i. p. 418) is a paper by Dr. Barclay, on a large animal cast ashore on the island of 

 Stronsa. In illustration of his paper, the Doctor figures the head with a vertebra at- 

 tached, four other vertebrae aud a sternum with a paddle " and two parts correspond- 

 ing to scapulae " attached. He speaks of the originals of these figures as specimens 

 then before the audience he was addressing. He gives seven inches as the diameter 

 of the head, and two inches as the diameter of the cervical vertebra? then still attached 

 to the head. The total length of the animal is given as fifty-five feet, and this from 

 actual admeasurement. It is now positively asserted that the animal in question was a 

 shark ; but the utter impossibility of a shark fifty-five feet in length having a head 

 only seven inches in diameter, and cervical vertebra? only two inches in diameter, is so 

 manifest that further inquiry seems desirable ; and I shall esteem it a great kindness 

 if any naturalist who may possess the means of doing so will reply to the following 

 questions : — 



1. How were the bones described by Dr. Barclay obtained ? 



2. What is the evidence that they belonged to one animal ? 



3. Where are these bones preserved ? 



4. What is their present state ? 



5. Has the skull ever been denuded of skin, muscle, &c. ? 



6. Has it ever been examined by a competent comparative anatomist ? and if so 

 what opinion has he pronounced on it ? 



Surely there are naturalists in Edinburgh who can answer the questions at once. 



