58 ATTEMPTS TO DISCREDIT THE SEA-SERPENT. 
I just above, resting upon the port-hole and supported by a rope.” 
“The monster seemed to measure about forty or fifty meters, 
from the head to the tail, as far as the numerous coils made an 
approximative estimation possible. The body from the dorsal ridge 
to the midst of the belly seemed to be covered by several ranges 
of scales, or a rough skin like that of sharks, but forming over- 
lapping layers of scales. The back is very darkish and gradually 
growing lighter towards the belly, where it is a dirty grey. The 
entire body is marked with alternating transversal stripes, darkish 
green, chesnut coloured, and grey; the tail seems to taper in a 
point, like that of eels. I preserve for the end the description of 
the head, which we have properly examined, and which is very 
remarkable. This head is not oval, and rather pointed, as in most 
- of the snakes; it forms at its cranium a great mass with rough 
and irregular outlines. From the occiput it is provided with a hard 
and movable crest, with very sharp points; this crest may be 
lowered on the neck so as to become invisible. The upper jaw 
projects, as is shown in the sketch, the end is doubled up, and a 
dark hollow, like a nostril is visible there; the lower jaw, more 
pointed , shows below hollow and convex outlines, like sacs, doubt- 
less for the act of swallowing. The teeth are sharp, enormous, and 
white. From the throat, attached to a kind of cushion, projects 
a hard tongue, pointed, provided with suckers, and glittering like 
steel, and phosphorescing as the sea occasionally does; the eye is 
round, very glittering, very movable, and seems to be able to 
look backward, so rapid and “dcen combinées’” are the animal's 
evolutions; the orbit is bordered by a ring of lighter colour and 
seems to be overarched by an eye-brow provided with hairs or bristles.” 
“The face, from the snout to the neck presents a lateral oblique 
line, grey in colour, on both sides of which three other similar 
lines run towards it.” 
“The movement of the animal in the water, seems to produce 
no sound at all, but undulating waves and a very slight ripple.” 
“It caused a stench enough to make one ill; this smeil, which 
hung about us for more than half an hour, was like that of a fer- 
mention by heat on a large scale of the house of Lusacz, the 
great gatherers of Asniéres, mingled with that of a dozen of 
charcoal-black works of Billancourt.” 
“To neutralize it, all the shops of several of our best perfumers 
would be wanted.” 
“The monster seems to be old, judging partly from its dimen- 
