300 NATURAL HISTORY o{ NORWAY* 



of the water (when it is very calm) in many folds, and that 

 there are in a line with the head, fome fmall parts of the back 

 to be feen above the furface of the water when it moves or bends. 

 Thefe at a diftance appear like fo many casks or hogfheads float- 

 ing in a line, with a confiderable diftance between each of them. 

 Mr. Tuchfen of Herroe, whom I mentioned above, is the only 

 perfon, of the many correfpondents I have, that informs me he 

 has obferved the difference between the body and the tail of this 

 . creature as to thicknefs. 



It appears that this creature does not, like the Eel or Land- 

 fnake, taper gradually to a point, but the body, which looks^ to 

 be as big as two hogfheads, grows remarkably fmall at once juft 

 where the tail begins. The head in all the kinds has a high 

 and broad forehead, but in fome a pointed fnout, though in 

 others that is flat, like that of a cow or a horfe, with large noftrils, 

 and feveral ft iff hairs Handing out on each fide like whiskers. 

 It is fuppofed that the Sea makes have a very quick fmell, which 

 we may conclude from this, that they are obferved to fly from 

 the fmell of caftor. Upon this account thofe that go out on 

 Stor-Eggen to fifh in the Summer, always provide themfelves 

 with thefe animals. They add, that the eyes of this creature are 

 very large, and of a blue colour, and look like a couple of bright 

 pewter plates. The whole animal is of a dark-brown colour, 

 but it is fpeckled and variegated with light ftreaks or fpots, that 

 fhine like tortoife-fhell. It is of a darker hue about the eyes 

 and mouth than elfewhere, and appears in that part a good deal 

 like thofe horfes, which we call Moors-heads. 



I do not find by any of my correfpondents, that they fpout 

 the water out of their noftrils like the Whale, only in that one 

 inftance related by Mr. Egede, as mentioned above : but when it 

 approaches, it puts the water in great agitation, and makes it run 

 like the current at a mill. Thofe on our coaft differ likewife from 

 the Greenland Sea-fnakes, with regard to the skin, which is as 

 fmooth as glafs, and has not the leaft wrinkle, but about tile 

 neck, where there is a kind of a mane, which looks like a parcel 

 of fea-weeds hanging down to the water. Some fay it annually 

 ftieds its skin like the Land-fnake ; and it is affirmed, that a few- 

 years fince there was to be feen at Kopperwiig, a cover for a 

 table made of the skin of one of thefe fnakes. This raifed my 



Oluf Trygvinfen, called his matchlefs fhip of war Ormen Lange, that is, Long- 

 fnake. This extraordinary veflel carried iooo armed men, who, with their gilded 

 ihields hanging over on each fide of the fhip, gave this inanimate Sea-fnake an ap* 

 pearance not inferior to % living one. 



curiofityj 



