AQ4, THE VARIOUS EXPLANATIONS. [The 10th.| 
brilliant fancy could scarcely imagine a shark maintaining such a 
position for twenty minutes at the time, and, what is stranger 
still, while in this position, ploughing the ocean at the rate of 
twenty miles an hour.” 
“After maturely considering these various views, it will be found ~ 
that the Enaliosaurian hypothesis presents the fewest difficulties , — 
in fine, one only, the supposition that these wonderful creatures - 
have become extinct. It will be the object of a separate essay, now 
preparing for the press, to adduce evidence from other sources of 
the existence — in sea-serpents seen off the Norwegian coast — of 
two large flappers or paddles, closely corresponding in situation 
with the anterior paddles of Ichthyosaurus, and also of enormous 
eyes, exactly as mdicated by the fossil remains of that animal; but 
this, not being deducible from recent observations, may be reserved 
for a more complete and careful review of the entire history of 
these enormous creatures which in all probability will eventually 
be found to constitute several genera and species.” 
“In throwing open the pages of the “Zoologist” to communica- 
tion on a subject so uniformly tabooed by the scientific, — im 
claiming for that subject a calm and dispassionate investigation, — 
in expressing my unhesitating belief that the various narratives, 
although often conflicting, are nevertheless, according to the belief 
of the narrator, perfectly true,—and in attempting to assign the 
sea-serpent a place in the System of Nature, —I feel convinced 
that all true naturalists will approve the course I have taken, 
and will be willmg to abide the result. Discussion must ever have 
the tendency to dissipate error and establish truth; and he who 
believes himself right need never shun the ordeal. In this spirit I 
invite discussion, and shall feel obliged for any communications 
tending to elicit or establish truth.” 
Here again I am obliged to make some remarks. 
The communications made by Captain M’Quuar and Lieutenant 
DrumMonp are inserted in the foregoing Chapter (n°. 118). — 
The statement of Captain Sunuivan and five other British officers 
is that of 1833, May 15th., imserted above. (n°. 97.) 
Ever and anon Mr. Newman shows that the statements referred 
to by him are those of British officers. Why so? Is a British 
officer more trustworthy than an officer of any other nation? 
What zoologist or palaeontologist has ever shared Mr. Newman’s 
doubt of the reptilian nature of the Enaliosaurians!? Who would 
like to bring these extinct creatures under a newly founded order 
