278 THE VARIOUS ACCOUNTS, [N° Tie 
me that there was scarcely a sailor accustomed to those mland 
lakes, who had not seen them at one time or another.’ — OxoNnIENSsIs. 
An unknown writer in one of the daily papers, after suggesting, 
whether the animals in question might not be full grown specimens 
of the WSaccopharynx flagellum of Dr. Mrtcuitn (described in the 
Annals of the New York Lyceum of Natural History, for March, 
1824), or of the Ophiognathus ampullaceus of Dr. Harwoop (Phil. 
T'rans., 1827), gives Captain M’Quuar the benefit of a further 
conjecture, viz., whether some land species, as the boas, among 
which are individuals “forty feet’? in length, may not sometimes 
betake themselves to the sea, or even “transport themselves from 
one continent to another (See Zoologist, 1848; p. 2320). © 
Some days after the figures of Captain M’Qunas were published, 
a nobleman, whose name is not mentioned, wrote to Prof. OwEn 
to know his opinion about the animal seen by the Captain. The 
Professor, it would seem, did not answer the nobleman directly, 
but sent his answer to the Editor of the Zimes, evidently with a 
view of bringing his opinion under the eyes of thousands. This 
letter is too important to be abridged; I therefore give it in ex- 
tenso; it appeared in the Zzmes of November 11, 1848. 
The Great Sea-Serpent. 
“Sir, — Subjomed is the answer to a question relative to the 
animal seen from the Daedalus, addressed to me by a nobleman 
distinguished in literature, and taking much interest in science.” 
“As it contains the substance of the explanation I have endeav- 
oured to give to numerous inquirers, in the Hunterian Museum 
and elsewhere, and as I continue to receive many applications for 
my opinion of the “Great Sea Serpent,” I am desirous to give it 
once for all through the medium of your columns, if space of such 
value may be allotted to it.” 
“T am, Sir, your very obedient servant | 
“Richard Owen.” 
“Lincoln’s Inn Fields, Nov. 9.” 
“The sketch (this was a reduced copy of the drawing of the 
head of the animal seen by Captain M’Quuaz; attached to the 
submerged body of a large seal, showing the long eddy produced 
by the action of the terminal flippers) will suggest the reply to 
your query, “Whether the monster seen from the Daedalus be 
anything but a saurian?’ If it be the true answer, it destroys 
the romance of the incident, and will be anything but acceptible 
to those who prefer the excitement of the imagination to the satis- 
