S 3 
them; since they display coincidences with that account appar¬ 
ently too close and numerous to be attributed to mere accident* 
and beyond any reasonable suspicion of design. The work of 
Pontoppidan is hardly known in this country, and the extracts 
from it in the Cyclopedia of Dr. Rees, and in Guthrie’s Geogra¬ 
phy, state but few of the peculiarities, in which this coincidence is 
observed ; and mingle with these few, several traits ascribed by 
Pontoppidan to a different animal, none of which agree with any 
statement in our depositions. 
Extracts from the Natural History of Nona ay, by Tontop- 
pidan, Bishop of Bergen, translated from the Danish. London, 
1755 . Part 2. From p. 196 to p. 207 . 
“ This creature, particularly in the North Sea, continually 
keeps himself at the bottom of the sea, excepting in the months of 
July and August, which is their spawning time; and then they 
come to the surface in calm weather, but plunge into the water 
again, so soon as the wind raises the least wave.”-“ I have 
questioned its existence myself till that suspicion was removed 
by full and sufficient evidence from credible and experienced fish¬ 
ermen and sailors in Norway ; of which there are hundreds, who 
can testify that they have annually seen them. All these persons 
agree very well in the general description. 
« j n a il m y inquiry about these affairs, I have hardly spoke 
with any intelligent person, born in the Manor of Nordland, who 
was not able to give a pertinent answer, and strong assurances of 
the existence of this fish: and some of our north traders, that 
come here every year with their merchandize, think it a very 
strange question, when they are seriously asked whether there be 
any such creature ; they think it as ridiculous as if the question 
was put to them whethei there be such fish as eel or cod.” 
The author then records a letter from the honourable Law¬ 
rence de Ferry, Captain in the Navy ; which is as follows : 
“ Mr. John Reutz. 
“ The latter end of August, in the year 1746, as I was on a 
voyage, in my return from Trondheim, in a very calm and hat 
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