70 
SEA MONSTERS UNMASKED. 
of science. When the two vertebrse in the Museum of the 
Royal College of Surgeons were examined by Sir Everard 
Home he pronounced them to be those of a great shark of 
the genus Selache, and as being undistinguishable from 
those of the species called the "basking shark," of which 
individuals from thirty to thirty-five feet in length have been 
from time to time captured or stranded on our coasts. Pro- 
fessor Owen has confirmed this. Any one who feels in- 
clined to dispute the identification by this distinguished 
comparative anatomist of a bone which he has seen and 
handled can examine these vertebrae for himself If they 
had not been preserved, this incident would have been cited 
for all time as among the most satisfactorily authenticated 
instances on record of the appearance of the sea-serpent. 
As it is, it furnishes a valuable warning of the necessity for 
the most careful scrutiny of the evidence of well-meaning 
persons to whom no intentional deception or exaggeration 
can be imputed. 
In 1809, Mr. Maclean, the minister of Eigg, in the Western 
Isles of Scotland, informed Dr. Neill, the secretary of the 
Wernerian Society, that he had seen, ofT the Isle of Canna, 
a great animal which chased his boat as he hurried ashore 
to escape from it ; and that it was also seen by the crews 
of thirteen fishing-boats, who were so terrified by it that 
they fled from it to the nearest creek for safety. His de- 
scription of it is exceedingly vague, but is strongly indi- 
cative of a great calamary. 
In 18 17 a large marine animal, supposed to be a serpent^ 
was seen at Gloucester Harbour, near Cape Ann, Massa- 
chusetts, about thirty miles from Boston. The Linnsean 
Society of New England investigated the matter, and took 
much trouble to obtain evidence thereon. The depositions 
of eleven credible witnesses were certified on oath before 
