THE MERMAID. 
761 
and, from its iniion with tbe neck, is projected considerably forw'ard. 
The face is ouich elevated : the lips have nearly disappeared ; and the 
cheek-bones are extended almost equal with the projection of the 
nose. From the entreraity of the chin to the throat the distance is 
very great, bearing in this part a stronger resemblance to the feline 
than to the human s])ecies. At the commencement of the vertebre, 
just behind the head, there is a singular projection, exhibiting such a 
mark of deformity as a dislocation might be supposed to produce. The 
head is thinly covered with long black hair, not inclined to frizzle. On 
the shoulders, on the arras, and on most of the upper parts of the 
body, a few scattered hairs are to be seen. The skin is of a dirtv 
brown colour, deepest tow'ards the nether extremity, hot turning into 
a dirty gray as the eye wanders towards the head. In every part 
that may be presumed to coincide with what is human, the skin is 
much shrivelled, and every limb and feature exhibits signs of advanced 
age. One of the ears is concealed by the band that is elevated, and 
the other seems to form a continuation of the wrinkles leading from 
the cheek. The teeth afford sufficient evidence that the creature is 
full grown, the incisores being worn on the upper surface. There 
arc eight incisores, four canine, and eight molares. The canine teeth 
resemble those of a full-grown dog, all the others resemble those of a 
human subject; but although the cavity of the mouth is sufficiently 
exposed to a considerable extent, no tongue could be distinctly traced. 
The forehead is low, but in most other respects the features are much 
better proportioned, and bear a more decided resemblance to the 
human countenance than any of the baboon tribes. From the ex- 
pression of anguish and terror wiiicii appears in the face, the creature 
most probably died in great agonies. The ears, nose, lips, chin, breasts, 
nipples, hiigers, and nails, resemble those of tbe human hgure. 
The length of the animal is about three feet, but not having been 
well preserved, it had shrunk considerably. Its resemblance to the 
human species ceases immediately under the mammm. On the line 
of separation, and directly under the breast, are two bos. From the 
point where the human figure ceases, which is about twelve inches 
below the vertex of the head, it resembles a large fish of the salmon 
species. The creature is covered all over with scales. On the 
lower parts, they resemble those of a fish, but on the parts that cor- 
respond, with the human they are much less; and in some places 
they are scarcely perceptible, except on a very close inspection. On 
the low'er part of the body it has six bos ; one dorsal, two ventral, 
two pectoral, and the tail. This latter resembles wliat has usually 
been given in the representation of mermaids. 
Whether this creature had ever existed in any way corresponding 
to the form in which it was exhibited, was a point much debated 
among those by whom it w'as inspected. Some few contended for its 
reality, but the greater number denounced it to be an imposition on 
the English credulity. It was readily admitted by the latter party, 
that ail the substances were completely animal, but that the upper 
part was that of a baboon, carefully preserved, and ingenffih sly joined 
to the tail of a fjsh by some Chinese artist ; and in this decision pub- 
lic opinion appeared generally to concur. 
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