FOREST AND STREAM. 



9 



says that the people who witnessed this remarkable sight 

 were not frightened, but observed it carefully, and fired 

 shots at it, which must have taken effect, as it dove and 

 did not appear for some time. Here certainly a mistake in 

 observation would seem almost impossible, and we must 

 believe that some,huge creature was seen that differed from 

 the generality of marine life known in that locality. 

 The supposition is not in the least improbable, and it is our 

 belief that the numerous tales that are told from time to 

 time bearing such close resemblance to each other have in 

 their meaning some truth yet undiscovered. Who knows 

 but what in the far recesses of the great ocean, perfectly 

 adapted by nature for its depth and pressure, still exists a 

 creature allied to some of the huge monsters that ages ago 

 roamed and spread terror on the primeval seas, the re- 

 maining link between some of the old marine reptiles and 

 a form adapted to this later epoch, and so changed that 

 only the eye of the scientist can perceive it? By some pro- 

 vision of nature this creature is enabled to live in the depths 

 of the ocean perhaps miles from the light of heaven, seek- 

 ing its food in the uttermost parts of the sea, and only at 

 rare intervals approaching the land to reveal its huge form 

 to the wonder of the landsmen and the terror of the toilers 

 of the sea. 



It will be noticed that all the descriptions agree in the 

 main. The long snake-like neck, small head, and peculiar 

 serpentine movements are points mentioned by all who 

 have seen the "great unknown," and this strongly points 

 that well-known saurian, the Plesiosaurus, and in this con- 

 nection the late Professor Agassiz writes:— 



"By its disproportionately long and flexible neck, and its small, flat 

 head, it unquestionably foreshadows the serpent's, while by the struc- 

 ture of the backbone and the tail, it is closely allied to the Ichthyosau- 

 rus, while its tail is shorter in proportion to the whole length of the an- 

 imal. It seems probable, from its general structure, that the Ichthyo- 

 saurus moved like a fish, chiefly by the flapping, aided by the fins, while 

 in the Plesiosaurus the tail must have been much less effective as a lo- 

 comotive organ, and the long, snake-like, flexible neck, no doubt rend- 

 ered the whole body more agile and rapid in its movements. In com- 

 paring the two it may be said that, as a whole, the Ichthyosaurus, though 

 belonging by its structure to the class of reptiles, has a closer external 

 resemblance to the fishes, while the Plesiosaurus is more decidedly rep- 

 tilian in character. 11 



Again : — 



"If there exists any animal in our waters not yet known to natural- 

 ists, answering to the description of the 'Sea Serpent," it must be closely 

 allied to the Plesiosaurus. The occurrence in the fresh waters of North 

 America of a fish— the Lapidcgteus, which is closely allied to the fossil 

 fishes found with the Plesiosmirus in the Jurassic beds— renders such 

 supposition probable. 11 



So it will be seen that the great naturalist thought it not 

 at all unlikely that some degenerate form of primeval 

 greatness still coursed the seas, ever and anon appearing as 

 the sea serpent. Five years ago Hugo and his "Cuttle 

 Fish" were laughed at, and although his tales are exagge- 

 rated, these creatures have been found within a year so 

 huge and powerful as to establish anew the waning respect 

 and belief in the old glories and myths of the sea, and if 

 • these huge creatures, with their arms thirty and forty feet 

 long, have so long remained concealed and only known by 

 the doubted legend, it is plain that hordes of huge saurians 

 may yet roam in the heart of the sea unknown and unseen, 

 working out their destiny to some hiatus that we know 

 not of. 



The following facts were taken from observation at the 

 request of Sir Charles Lyell, F. R. S., F. G. S. L., etc., 

 and are given by him as they occurred: — 



"In August of 1845 there was seen at Merigomish, in the 

 Gulf of St. Lawrence, a sea monster, which was estimated 

 to be about eighty feet long. It was aground in still water 

 about one hundred feet from the shore, and after showing 

 itself for over an hour it got off into deep water and dis- 

 appeared. One of the gentlemen mounted a high bank 

 and overlooked it. It raised its head frequently from the 

 water, and its back was either covered with humps, or they 

 were caused by the movements of its body. The skin was 

 dark and rough ; it writhed about continually, and would 

 bend its body into a circle and unbend it with great rapid- 

 ity. It soon disappeared, and left a long, wide wake, al- 

 though no fins could be seen. 



In the vear before this a huge creature swam past a 

 wharf at Arisaig, near the northeast end of Nova Scotia, 

 and was observed by Mr. W. Barry, of Pictou, who swore 

 that he was within twenty-five feet of it, and that it was 

 over sixty feet long and three in width. The back, like 

 the one above, was covered with 'humps' or 'ridges,' and 

 it moved in long undulations." 



In the years 1817 and 1820 these strange appearances 

 were quite common on the New England coast, and so 

 much excitement was caused by it that the Linnsean So- 

 ciety of Boston appointed a committee to investigate the 

 matter. It was done, and the following is the report of 

 two well known gentlemen, Dr. Bigelow and F. C. Gray, 

 who were among the party:— 



"The monster was from eighty to ninety feet long, his 

 head usually carried about two feet above the water; of a 

 dark brown color, the body with thirty or more protuber- 

 ances, compared by some to four gallon kegs, by others to 

 a string of buoys, and called by some 'buncles on the 

 back;' motions very rapid, faster than those of a whale, 

 swimming a mile in three minutes, and sometimes more! 

 leaving a wake behind him, chasing mackerel, herrings, and 

 other fish, which were seen jumping out of water hundreds 

 at a time as he approached. He only came to the surface 

 of the sea in calm weather. A skillful gunner fired at him 

 from our boat, and, having taken good aim, felt sure that 

 he must have hit him on the head. The creature turned 

 toward him, then dived under the boat, and reappeared 

 about one hundred yards on the other side," 



This creature was seen at a distance of thirty feet from 

 the boat, and was named by the scientific men aboard the 

 Scoliophys Atlaaticus. Sketches of it were made on the 

 spot in various positions by Col. Perkins, of Boston. He 

 saw fourteen projections, six feet apart, and described 

 them as being vertical ilexures of the body when in mo- 



tion. In color, etc., it resembled the others described, and 

 the drawing was to the life, like the drawing made by 

 Bishop Pontopiddan in Norway in 1752. This is without 

 doubt the most authentic account ever given, as every man 

 who saw it can be relied upon as making a clear statement 

 of facts. This creature or a similar one was seen soon 

 after in Gloucester Bay by a Mr. Mansfreid and wife. They 

 saw it in six feet of water, and were standing on a cliff. 

 They could not agree upon the length, one stating it at 

 eighty feet and the other at one hundred. They judged 

 from a pier that was near which measured one hundred 

 feet. This gentleman afterward saw it off Lynn and Na- 

 hant, (see "History of Lynn,") and was one of thirty peo- 

 ple who ran along the beach while the snake swam along 

 the shore. It raised its head repeatedly as it moved along, 

 and the gentlemen who observed it are still living and well 

 known. 



In the Illustrated London JVetcs of October, 1848, may be 

 seen sketches of a huge monster, supposed to be a sea ser- 

 pent, seen by the crew of H. M. ship Daedalus in the South 

 Atlantic, off the coast of Africa. According to the ac- 

 count of Capt. McQuhae, sent to the Admiralty, the ani- 

 mal was seen, not in bright and fine weather, but with a 

 murky atmosphere and a long ocean swell. It was swim- 

 ming rapidly, and with its head and neck above water,and it 

 passed so close under the lee quarter of the vessel that its 

 features were easily recognized. The diameter of the ser- 

 pent was about fifteen or sixteen inches behind the head, 

 and the animal was never during the twenty minutes it con- 

 tinued in sight once below the surface of the water. The 

 color was a dark brown, with yellowish white about the 

 throat. It had no fins, but something like the mane of a 

 horse, or rather a bunch of seaweed washed about its 

 back." This statement, coming from such a source and in 

 the form of a letter to the highest authority, caused no 

 small stir in scientific and wonder-loving circles, and so 

 much interest was taken that Professor Owen found it ne- 

 cessary to publish a long letter in the Times, in which he 

 tried to prove, and undoubtedly did satisfy himself that 

 the existence of such a creature was impossible, as no re- 

 mains, bones, or other parts had ever been found to uphold 

 it. But, notwithstanding this strong disclaimer, popular 

 sentiment was in favor of a modern "Midgard," and every 

 mariner longed to become a "Thor." So the two sides 

 waged a war of opinion until 1857, when the serpent ap- 

 peared again to the officers and crew of the ship Castilian, 

 bound from Bombay to Liverpool. This event occurred 

 about ten miles from St. Helena, at six in the evening, and 

 the following is an extract from the personal report of 

 Capt. Hovington, who did not claim that it was a sea 

 snake, but that it was some huge marine form as yet un- 

 known to naturalists:" — 



"While myself and officers were standing on the lee side 

 of the poop looking toward the island we were startled by 

 a huge marine animal, which reared its head out of the 

 water within twenty yards of the ship when it suddenly 

 disappeared for about half a minute, and then made its ap- 

 pearance in the same manner again, showing us distinctly 

 its neck and head, about ten or twelve feet out of the 

 water. The diameter of the head was about seven or eight 

 feet in the largest part, with a tuft of loose skin circling it 

 about two feet from the top. The water was discolored for 

 several hundred feet from its head, so much so that on its 

 first appearance my impression was that the ship was in 

 broken water, produced, as I supposed, by some volcanic 

 agency since the last time I passed the island, but the sec- 

 ond appearance completely dispelled these fears, and as- 

 sured us it was a monster of extraordinary length, which 

 appeared to be slowly moving toward the land. The ship 

 was going too fast to enable us to reach the masthead in 

 time to form an estimate of its extreme length, but from 

 what we saw we judged that it must have been over two 

 hundred feet long." 



At this "snake stock" left par in the dim* distance, and 

 has continued to rise and fall periodically ever since. 



In the Bible we find mention of a sea serpent, showing 

 that the ancients, at least, had their legends of such a crea- 

 ture, and in Isaiah xxvi., 1, we find: "In that day the 

 Lord with his sore and great strong sword shall punish Le- 

 viathan, the piercing serpent, even Leviathan, that crooked 

 serpent, and he shall slay the dragon that is in the sea." 

 And so we might continue compiling evidence of the ex- 

 istence of this wonder. It is quite possible that we have 

 not yet exhausted the sources of discovery. Every hour 

 brings forth some new point in the workings of nature. 

 Huge remains of primeval greatness are shown us that far 

 exceed the complexity of our subject, and with the magic 

 wand of science the geologist spreads before us the picture 

 of lost eras, when each epoch swarmed with its monsters 

 of form so stupendous that were legacy and hearsay alone 

 our proofs, the tale would be received with no little doubt. 

 So we know not what the sea may yet give up, and the 

 time may come when these monuments of by-gone great- 

 ness, if so they are, may appear to us, bringing truth and 

 conviction out of the rumors of their greatness that have 

 gone before. 



— ! -■ *»•♦» ' ■ 



Preservation; op Game. — Among the public acts of the 

 late session is the one relative to the preservation of game. 

 It provides that woodcock shall not be shot except in the 

 months of October, November, and December. Few of 

 these birds come through this State in December or later 

 than the middle of November; so that the law really con- 

 fines woodcock shooting to about six weeks in the year. 

 So far as the birds are concerned we cannot see the object 

 of the law. Woodcock are migrating birds. They go 

 South in immense numbers in October, and some in the 

 early part of November, and if not shot in Connecticut, 

 more of them will be taken south of this State. They fly 

 principally at night, and comparatively few of them could 

 be shot here under any circumstances. Some of the best— 

 the young birds— are found, here in July, Possibly the ob- 



ject of the law is to prevent the trampling of corn and 

 grain fields rather than the preservation of game. Part- 

 ridges (the pheasant of Pennsylvania and the South) ought 

 not to be taken till about the 1st of October; and so far as 

 the law relates to them it is well enough. Prairie chickens 

 are also included, but there are none in Connecticut, ex- 

 cept those brought from the West in boxes and frozen. 

 The shooting or taking of quail is prohibited till the 20th 

 of October. This is quite late for shooting these delicious 

 birds, but it will be gratifying if they can be protected. It 

 is the hard Winters, hawever, when the cold weather and 

 deep snow continue late in the season, that kill off the quail 

 wholesale rather than the gunners. — Kartfonl (Gt.) Times. 



It is only until this season that we have advocated the 

 passage ot laws prohibiting Summer woodcock shooting. 

 During the past two seasons just about the time of the 

 hatching of the woodcock late heavy falls of snow pre- 

 vailed over the country, and most of the young birds were 

 destroyed. And then again, the high price paid to market 

 shooters for this game during the Summer, when the birds 

 are young and easily killed, is an encouragement for them 

 to kill off the few birds that have weathered the storms. 

 Another objection to Summer woodcock shooting is the 

 fact that many shooters are disposed to kill young ruffed 

 grouse and call them woodcock. 



UNLAWFUL SHOOTING. 



Monmouth County, N. J., July 18th, 1875. 

 Editor Forest and Stream:— 



You can rest assured that I have been a very indignant sportsman at 

 the frequent and open violations of the woodcock law during the past. 

 month of June. Indeed, it seems to me that neither city or country 

 sportsmen have had any respect for the law regulating the close season 

 in our county this Summer at all. There were many violations last sea- 

 son by resident sportsmen, and I was informed of two parties who 

 boasted of killing from fifty to seventy-five birds before the 4th of July. 

 This Summer it is much worse. I am glad to say, however, there are a 

 few honorable exceptions, and from this excellent material it is hoped 

 an efficient organization can be evoked which will do much to remedy 

 the present system of violating the law with impunity. Many sports- 

 men contend, in justifying their unlawful acts, that the present law, as 

 it affects our section, is defective, as the game leaves for its more north- 

 ern feeding grounds before the 4th inst., and stoutly insist that the 20th 

 of June should be the limit of the close season. This may be the case 

 in some extremely dry seasons and places, yet this I am not prepared to 

 admit. My experience in the field has been considerable with "dog and 

 gun," and gives me ample opportunity to judge in this matter correctly, 

 and my candid opinion is that this is not invariably the case, if at all. 

 For the correctness of my position take this season for example. It cer- 

 tainly has been very dry with us during the past Spring and so far this 

 Summer. Many streams and springs in my neighborhood are dried up, 

 which, I am told, has not been the case before for the past twenty years 

 Woodcock have not left us yet, I am happy to say, as I have been out 

 and killed a few since the 4th. It is true they are not very plenty, but 

 the scarcity is not owing to the fact of migration but entirely to anothet 

 cause, which I think it my duty to expose. If I am not greatly misin- 

 formed the birds have almost all been killed off before the 4th of July in 

 the few choice localities we have for this noble and exquisite game bird. 

 I am a farmer-sportsman, and after our busy season of '"hay and h irvest" 

 take my vacation, enjoying my favorite amusement, and then having 

 faithfully observed the close season, when you see youug woodcock 

 within a stone's throw of your residence almost any aay as you walk 

 over the fitting places for the beautiful birds on your plantation, and to 

 have them mercilessly and unlawfully slaughtered in their "unclean 1 '' 

 and helpless condition, I ask you, Mr. Editor, if I have not just cause- 

 for "righteous indignation and outcry." 1 say "unclean," and I think 

 I use the word advisedly after reading your able essay upon "Unclean 

 Creatures." By the way, I have earnestly recommended a number of 

 so-called sportsmen to read your paper, and especially your excellent ar- 

 ticle upon that subject. I say helpless, and it is true that many young 

 broods cannot hardly fly out of harm's way before the 4th of July. It?. 

 certainly does not require ranch skill or afford real pleasure to kill them 

 in this condition. I can see no good and sufficient reason to change the 

 present law as to the time of killing Summer woodcock, but if 

 anything is done let Summer shooting be abolished altogether, and see; 

 if it will help the condition of the case any as to violations or preserva- 

 tion. It will surely help the condition of the game for the table, and the 

 skill of the marksman. One Fall woodcock is worth two Summer birds 

 in either case. 



One can do nothing single handed to prosecute violators, some of 

 whom are your friends and neighbors— this for obvious reasons. I know 

 one man who frankly confessed that he had killed four woodcock last 

 Spring while shooting English snipe. He and his boys ate said to be 

 market gunners, and if they should be fined the individual doing it. 

 would be likely to receive some personal injury. I am told of another 

 party that ki'led twenty-nine woodcock one day in June, and sold them 

 for $1 per pair. The proprietor of the farm on which they were killed 

 was extremely indignant, and threatened prosecution, but has done noth- 

 ing. I could mention other cases of resident sportsmen equally guilty of 

 the most flagrant violations, but will forbear. These facts come to my 

 knowledge unsought and undesired. I must speak of still another case- 

 that of a gentleman high in authority in your city, and his companion, 

 who were out killing woodcock in June, as I was informed by a friend 

 that saw and knew them. I speak of these gentlemen more particularly, 

 because it is my desire and that of other resident sportsmen to cultivate 

 friendly and fraternal feeling between city and country sportsmen and 

 sportsmen and farmers. Now, if these sportsmen will persist in shoot- 

 ing game out of season and before those having equal if not superior 

 game rights can get an opportunity to kill a fair share of the game law- 

 fully, it is but natural and proper a strong prejudice will be engendered 

 against non-resident sportsmen shooting at all, even in season. I know 

 of many farmers who will not allow strangers to put their feet upon their 

 farms with dog and gun. These violations are a fruitful source of much 

 of the ill feeling which exists between the farmers and sportsmen, and 

 particularly non-resident sportsmen. It is not pleasant to allude to these 

 parties or to these things, but something ought to be done to correct ex- 

 isting evils, and to protect the game and to preserve and increase it, 

 which, if faithfully persevered in, must eventually promote the best in- 

 terest of all concerned. 



Expressions of individual opinions are useful, and a description of the 

 game conditions of different sections of our country will render assist- 

 ance in throwing light upon the subject and afford in time, perhaps, ma- 

 terial and valuable correction. Permit me to commend your indefatiga- 

 ble efforts in connection with the International Association, and the 

 wholesome influence your paper has exerted in forming local societies 

 for the laudable protection and propagation of game and fish all over 



the country. M. 

 . . <i i»i — « 



The Hartford Times says that the Sharpes Kifle Company 



will soon remove from that city to Bridgeport, Ot., and 



contracts have already been awarded for the construction 



ot the company's new buildings there. The main building 



is to be 250 feet long, 40 feet wide, and four and one-half 



stories high. The engine house will be 50 by 40 feet, the 



boiler house 50 feet square, and the annealing building 100 



by 40 feet 



