[N°. 129. ] REPORTS AND PAPERS. — 807 
The extreme velocity of its motion is cause that the impression of 
the head was that of a walrus. But this is a remarkable fact. We 
have already observed that a Norwegian fisherman described the 
head as resembling that of a seal (n°. 8), and that Mr. Cummrnes 
(n°. 29), too described at first sight the head to resemble that 
of a seal. Afterwards Mr. Krivxor (n°. 36) better acquainted 
with sea-lions, described it as resembling a sea-lion’s; more than 
once the bristles on the upper lip are mentioned; one of the gentle- 
men of the Daedalus drew a head distinctly that of a Pinniped, 
and Captain TrRemEarne declares that it had the head of a walrus. 
Most propably he has seen the animal close to him and in its 
face, and saw the upper-lip with bristly whiskers, though this is 
neither mentioned nor figured. ‘The same uncommonly rapid motion 
of the animal caused the captain to draw the neck too short and to see 
“twelve fins’. He was the dupe of an optical illusion, resulting from the 
very rapid paddling of the animal’s fore-flappers. But he has very well 
observed that the posture of the flappers when directed as upward 
as possible is “turned the contrary way to those ina black fish”. The 
head is described by him as that of a mammal, belonging to the 
order of Pinnipeds, the posture of the flappers is exactly that which 
pinnipedian mammals, as sea-lions and walruses, would exhibit , 
when swimming with extreme velocity. No reptile is able to lift 
up its fore-limbs to such a height. The animal in this position, 
but seen from behind, would have the. external features as shown. 
in the figure of Lieutenant Haynus (fig. 45, n°. 148). And captain 
TREMEARNE has also very well observed and delineated that six of 
the fins were on the left, and six on the right sight of the animal 
as if rising out of the water, and that the twelve were not situated 
on the animal’s back. The rough back, too, is a proof that the 
animal had a mane. The violent motions of the flappers must have 
caused a severe splashing and foaming of the water; it is clear 
that this is omitted by captam Tremnarne when drawing his 
figure. So this report, though apparently of no worth, is, with 
the figure, one of the most valuable reports of an appearance of 
the sea-serpent, throwing light upon its rank in the system of 
nature. Remarkable is the fact that captain TREMEARNE writes: “it 
is not improbable that this monster has been taken for the great 
sea-serpent’. 
