PLATE LVII. 



Bontius its original describer, the writer upon whose authority he 

 records it as a native of Java ; and he also endeavours to shew 



rush up the column of falling water as far as possible and emerge above the 

 surface of the stream as near the shelving and impending edges of the 

 rocks over which the water is precipitated, as their strength will permit. 

 Now, can we seriously for a moment suppose that if any of those fishes, 

 instead of their own small and acutely pointed head, had borne upon what 

 may be termed the clavicular process of its piscivorine body, a trunk, head 

 and arms of this Baboon-like form and overwhelming magnitude they could 

 possibly move with any facility in the aquatic element. What effort, it 

 might be demanded, made by means of fins of such comparative diminutive- 

 ness could raise such a being half emergent above the surface of the water, 

 or when so raised sustain it in that posture. To account for this the mam- 

 miferous or upper portion of thisobjectis assimilated with the human frame, 

 and hence it is concluded that being furnished with hands it can swiftly 

 emerge to the surface by their aid. But whether ape or human, is imma- 

 terial to another more important consideration ; namely, by what means 

 are the functions of respiration, and consequently of life to be sustained 

 while it remains under water : since neither ape nor man are qualified to 

 become residents of those aquarian abodes in the bosom of theOcean,which 

 are described to be the favourite haunts of these marvellous sirens, — those 

 half-human prodigies of the " vasty deep," This is an obvious question, 

 and must be presumed unanswerable. We may perhaps be told they re- 

 side so near the surface that they can readily emerge for the benefit of the 

 air; but then another difficulty starts upon us, for if air be so material to 

 their welfare, that state of rest which we call sleep, a rest so indispensable 

 to all nature, can be no less requisite. How is this to be enjoyed, the mam- 

 miferous and the piscivorous portions of this heterogenous compound can- 

 not sleep at the same time, for in sleeping the mammiferous part would 

 naturally recline upon the back or side, while the piscivorous portion, con- 

 forming to the habits of fishes, would rest when asleep upon the belly, and 

 consequently with the mammiferous portion face downwards. To reconcile 

 tliis we are to presume upon its position in the water being erect ; be it so, 

 there would be then every chance of such a position proving fatal, for 

 when overcome with sleep the Mermaid would naturally fall upon her face 

 and tliere would be then every certainty of its suffocation and drowning. 



In this two-fold article which we are cbntemplating, our attention is 

 directed to the mammae or teats: we are told that *'it has two breasts 

 which are placed a little lower than those of a woman, and which, though 



