[ 1817. ] REPORTS AND PAPERS. 16] 
“11. The deposition of Sewall ‘Toppan 
“12. That of Robert Bragg , taken at Boston. 
“713. That of William Somerby 
“14. The letter from our Chairman to Mr. Nash. 
“15. The answer of Mr. Nash. 
“16. Our letter to Mr. 8. Davis of Plymouth. 
“17. His answer, containing 
“18. The deposition of Elkanah Finney. 
“19. The letter from the Rev. William Jenks to your Committee. 
“20. Is an account of a serpent said to have been frequently 
seen in the North Sea, extracted from the history of Norway, 
written by the Right Rev. Erich Pontoppidan, bishop of Bergen, 
in the year 1751. 
“Boston, Aug. 19, 1817. 
“The Committee appointed by the Linnaean Society, at their 
meeting on the 18th. inst. for the purpose of collecting any 
evidence which may exist respecting a remarkable animal, denomin- 
ated a Sea Serpent, reported to have recently been seen in and 
near the harbour of Cape Ann, have concluded on the following 
method of proceeding in the execution of their commission.” 
“J. The examination to be confined to persons professing actually 
to haye seen the animal in question. 
“IT. Such persons to be examined as may be met with by either 
of the Committee, or by Hon. Lonson Nash of Gloucester, who is 
to be requested by a letter addressed to him from the Committee 
to undertake this service.” | 
“IIT. All testimony on the subject to be taken in writing, and 
alter being deliberately read to the person testifying, to be signed 
by him, and sworn before a magistrate. The examinations to be 
separate, and the matter testified by any witness not to be com- 
municated until the whole evidence be taken.” 
“IV. The persons testifying to be requested first to relate their 
recollections on the subject, which being taken down, the following 
questions to be proposed, if not rendered unnecessary by the 
statement given.” 
“Questions.” 
“J. When did you first see this animal ?” 
“2. How often and how long at a time?” 
“3. At what times of the day?” 
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