40 
actual animal having been found ; and as it has given occasion to much 
controversy, no apology is required for taking the particulars at some 
length from the Transactions of the Wernerian Society, which are pro¬ 
bably not easily accessible to the generality of readers. 
This is the subject of Dr. Barclay’s papers, and of the controversy be¬ 
tween him and Sir Everard Home. The idea does not appear to have 
struck Dr. Barclay that the dead animal was identical with the one seen 
alive by Mr. M £ Clean three or four months before ; but making allowance 
for the short and imperfect opportunity which the latter gentleman had 
for forming his estimates, there remain sufficient grounds for a reason¬ 
able supposition that these two animals were the same, 
A brief enumeration of the leading characteristics of the living crea¬ 
ture, given by Mr. M‘Clean, placed in juxtaposition with those of the 
Stronsa carcass, as derived from the affidavits of eye-witnesses, will enable 
the reader to form his own judgment:— 
THE DEAD ANIMAL, 
the LIVING animal. Taken from four descriptions on affidavit by eye¬ 
witnesses. 
Head, when elevated out of the Bones of lower jaw like a dog’s ; the appearance of 
water, broad and of oval form. ; soft teeth, which could be bent; no teeth in upper 
jaw. Throat too narrow to admit the hand, says 
one witness ; wide enough to admit the foot, says 
another. 
Neck smaller; shoulders con- Length of neck to shoulder, 10 feet 3 inches; middle 
siderably broader; body taper- of head to mane, 15 feet; ridge of back to belly, 
ing towards the tail, which was 4 feet; circumference, 10 feet, rather oval than 
kept low in the water. round ; extremity of the tail 2 inches thick, and 
rather rounded, and quite flexible any way. 
No fin seen. Had six fins or paws, those next the head 4J feet 
long; the toes 8 inches—not webbed except for 
li inches, but fringed with bristles 10 inches long; 
the other fins or paddles not so long. 
Head being under water when Had a mane from shoulders to near the extremity 
nearest, no mane was seen. of the tail; bristles whereof from 2 to 10 inches 
long. 
Motion undulating up and down, Two canals, one above and another below the back 
and very rapid when the animal bone, from neck to tail, containing two ligaments, 
was wholly under water; less so strong enough to raise the animal up or bend its 
when head above the surface. body in a spiral form ; bones of a gristly nature, 
except back bone. 
Colour not named. Skin gray, without scales. 
Length, 70 to 80 feet. Length from junction of head and neck to tail, part 
of which was wanting, 55 feet. 
