152 THE VARIOUS ACCOUNTS, [ Ne. 31.] 
its motion was not near so quick; and when the head was most 
elevated it appeared evidently to take a view of distant objets. 
| “JT remain, Sir, &c. , 
“DonanD MaAcLEAN.”’ 
To understand well what Mr. Macizan meant with “shining 
filaments” which he did zof see, I must return to the “Animal 
of Stronsa’”’, the putrified body of a large basking shark. My readers 
will remember that the putrified dorsal fins of that shark resembled 
bristles, which were transparent, and gave light in the dark (p. 61). 
Evidently the Secretary of the Wernerian Society writing to Mr. 
Maciean, asked him to give a full description of the animal seen 
by him near “the coast of Eigg”, and whether he saw on its back 
“shining filaments” or not. Of course, Mr. Macruan did not see them ! 
For the first time it is mentioned by an eye-witness that the 
shoulders were visible. Mr. Macniean adds: “if I can so term 
them’. This is very remarkable, for we may safely take it for 
granted, that he, like all other persons, believed to see a sea- 
snake, or serpentine animal, and yet, though he could not know, 
that it has flappers, and probably would not have believed it, when 
it was told him, he has distinctly seen that the animal at. once 
became much broader behind its long neck. 
The animal plunged violently under water. When Mr. Maciman_ 
had reached his safe position he saw the animal swimming rapidly 
under water towards his boat. We must suppose that it swam so 
near the surface, though under water and invisible, that the surface 
rippled, and a wake was formed by the motion of the animal. 
‘The animal coming in shallow water, turned immediately and swam 
away. Once it did not raise its head quite above water, so that 
the neck was under water. When the head was most elevated, it 
appeared evidently to take a view of distant objects. These five 
habits as yet new to us, will be observed and reported several 
times afterwards. The other statements of Mr. Macwean are all 
mere repetitions of so often mentioned peculiarities. 
sb. — 1808 June. — In the same letter we read: 
“About the time I saw it, it was seen about the Isle of Canna. 
The crew of thirteen fishing boats, I am told, were so much 
terrified at its appearance, that they in a body fled from it to the 
nearest creek for safety. On the passage from Rum to Canna the 
