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NATURAL HISTORY 
upon which without doubt it feeds; and it is highly pro- 
bable that it pursues them to their annual retreats, within 
the arctic regions. From circumstances which will be 
hereafter noticed, it would appear that the object of 
feeding was not its only inducement to range within the 
temperate latitudes; but that of breeding would also 
seem an instinctive impulse of the creature, though its 
manner of breeding, whether it be viviparous, or ovipa- 
rous, or whether it produce one or more in a season, is 
entirely unknown. It may however be inferred with a 
degree of plausibility, that its progeny are not very nu- 
merous, as is generally observed of the classes of larger 
animals; and this is a merciful arrangement of Provi- 
dence, for did this monstrous reptile breed like herring 
or shad, not only the whole ocean, but the seas, and the 
rivers, would swarm with them, and they would devour 
every thing within their range. We should soon en- 
tirely lose our supplies of all the varieties of table fish, 
with which our bays and rivers so plentifully abound, 
and which constitute, not merely a nourishing, but even 
a luxuriant article of food, and in many countries an es- 
sential article of support to the inhabitants. 
Whether there are different species, and varieties of 
the great Sea Serpent, or at what period of time it was 
first observed, it is equally impossible to determine. 
But we have notice of a great serpent, as early as the year 
1746, which was seen by the honourable Laurence de 
Ferry, captain of the navy, extracted from the His- 
tory of Norway, written by the Right Rev. Erich Pon- 
toppidan, Bishop of Bergen, in the year 1751. This ac- 
count states, that the head of this snake, which it held 
more than two feet above the surface of the water, re- 
sembled that of a horse; it had a grayish colour, the 
mouth quite black, and very large. It had black eyes; 
and a long white mane, that hung down from the neck 
to the surface of the water. That, besides the head and 
neck, were seen seven or eight folds, or coils, which were 
very thick, and as far as could be guessed, were about 
a fathom distance from each other. The same history 
observes, that this creature continually keeps itself at 
