New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1860-02-28
The Bermuda Sea SERPENT.

j. Mathew Jones, F. R. s., gives learned de.
scrlption of the singular marine monster recently
captured In Hungary Bay, Bermuda. The follow.
ing are its dimensions, etc.:
Order, Acanthopterygh; Family Gepolade; &c
nus, Gymnetrus; Species, 49,? Body alternate
compressed; naked tuherculate; euticle, sil
very covering Of metallic lustre. Length, from
iaclal TO caudal extremities, sixteen feet seven
inches. Depth, at fourteen inches from facial az
tremity, nine inches, and increasing gradually "a
near the ventral extremity of the stomach, when 4
attained Its greatest depth of eleven inches, and
then decreased by degrees to the caudaI termjna
ton. Width, at the same distance, and through
the spinal column, two and O half to three inches
After giving minute and scientific description
OF the creature, the learned gentleman remarks:
This genus OF ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS fishes is of a
form so thin and fiat, in proportion to it's length as
to have obtained among the ancient icthyologists
the name of Riband Fish. Although several sne.
cles are known to science, yet they are all of di.
mlnutIve size in comparison with the individual
now obtained. Gynaet'us Ha,ckenii, G. Banksii.
and g. G'1ee are occasionally found in the British
seas.
So little appears to be known of this singular
tribe Of fishes, that even in the present advanced
state of marine zoology, their habits, haunts ETC.
remain blanks in the book of nature and will prob
ably long continue SO, unless opportunities like the
present should occur to enable us to add new facts
In the history of these remarkable creatures.
Ihe most notable fact, however, in connection
with the capture of the present specimen, viii
doubtless be the interest and attraction will pro-
duce in the scientific world, for most assuredlv we
have in the specimen now before us many pecu
liarities, save size, with which the appearance Of
that hitherto apochryphal monster tile great sea
serpent as detailed by nayigators, is invested The
heightened hlaments browning the caput, Joined
anteriorly by the connecting membrane, and ex
tending to the shoulders, would viewed from a
vessels deck present to the spectator the name 10
| accurately described as singular feature in The
1 gigantic specimen seen by Capt. McQuha r. nj.
and officers, of FL NJ. S. DRdalus. Then again. the
rapidity with which thatindiyidual specimen moved
through the water, would coincide with the capa-
| bities of a member of this genus for the motive
power produced BY such an extent Of tail, coupled
with the extremely compressed form of body from
the head throughout, must be immense.
Here then we have partial calculation of the
various statements which have at intervals an
peared in the columns Of the united presses Of
England and America, emanating from the pens OF
travellers, and usually headed-aO Occurrence of the
Great Sea Serpent n-crtieised, however, in an
ungenerOus manner, and always exposed to an I'M.
merited ridicue at the hands of the many, but
nevertheless firmly believed in by the few, who
have patiently waited to see the day when the
mystic cloud which has hitherto yelled the exist
enee of the named denzen of the deep should
vanish with the suspicion of the sceptic and ex-
hibit more clearly the truth of the assertions of
those ill-used men, who, endeavoring like useful
members Of society, to extend the cause of natural
knowledge by publishing candid accounts what
their eyes have seen, have always met with an
amount of contempt and reproach, sufficient to
silence forever the pen of many fruitful writer.