Evening star., 1886-09-04
IS 1T REPTILE OR FISHf
What Eminent lcthyOlOGists Say About
pent.


Prot. GIL, Of tho Smithsonian, who is consid-
ered authority ON the rovers Of the deep, casts
a very serious reflection upon the stories
which come from eastern summer resorts
about the venerable and monstrous sea
serpent "Irs a deal fish, Chlamy ydoseiachus
anquirreus. or floating shark" he said to q
STAR reporter.
"DO these fish carry their heads thirty. or
even ten feet out Of the water7' asked the
scribe.
NO"
'.But they say the sea serpent does?"
"But don't believe it, replied the professor
IN a manner To dispose of the whole question
ps snort cut. he then went on To say that
he thous ht the negative evidence was strong
enough To prove that there was no such thing
as a sea serpent, ii by the expression Was
meant "a reptile. That is TO say there is not
according TO his idea, such a thing as the
monster described on our northern sea Shores
There are sea serpents, small reptiles, near the
coast OF Africa. THESE are small reptiles that
sometimes crawl up tne side OF vessel, and
their sting Is very poisonous. They bear no re-
idtlon To the conventional sea serpent. He
says he thinks IL Ia lar more probable that the
floating shark or tine deal fisn stretched out
OH the surface Oi the ocean Is Laxen To De a
serpent tnan that any such monster really
exists. The floating shark has been found
about 80 feet long, though 40 feet is the
longest Prof. Gill knows Of, and it Is very
slender, following sort OF serpentine motion
when IT swiIns. One Of tLese might well be
taken Tor snake by persen not familiar with
tnein Tue iuea OF y real reptile he Things pre-
Io'terous. In the first place, serpents are air
breathing Creatures, consequently they would
have W be on the surface ulucu q the time. and
would be seen frequently. Moreover their dead
bodies OF bones would be found. But neither
OF these OCCUR, he says. No bones Of AN auimal
or reptile resembling the description OF the sea
serpent mas been iOuuu that has lived since tae
secondary aye. The plesiOsaurus or sea lizard
whIcn existed in the secondary a.e most Clio SEW
resembles II. But no trace, tue professor says,
has ueen found OF this having existed since
that age. No remains Oi later period have been
found. Nor have any bones OF u later period
been discovered THAT bear any Resemblance "
tue alleged sea serpent greater than that OF the
floating shark anu the other FISH before mem
toned. Tne deal fish has name like that OF a
horse, wnicn has sometimes BEEN descIi ibed
as upon the sea pent. He says that the
smallest particle OF The remains of the plesiO-
saurus OF iaIer date than the secondary
aye would Oe accepted as evidence OF their hay.
Ing existed since then, Dut none has been found
All alleged skeletons Oi serpenLs have, Oh in.
yestigaLion, proved 10 belong to deal fish or
sharks. Another fish, he sans which NAV
sometimes be taken 1or serpenls Is The sould
One ol these SUNK a little below the surface
cut of the water, might, with u little ina.
ginatlon, be made into the neck and head of u
serpent
Professor Goode does not Quite apree With
Professor Gill He thinks the authority We
nave Tor The statements Is too good To
admit OF q uOubt that some sort of a crea-
ture of the Sea, whether reptile OF auim III,
he does uoi pretend tO say, which swims with
las head many ieet above the surface OF the
|
tnis age. Neither the noatlng shark the deal
hSn or any Dlner known innaDilsuIs OF the
oeep swim in this fashion. He tniuks the mon.
ster described as sea serpent probably has AN
existence, though IL Is probably not reptile
lne late Pro. Agassiz Is quoted tor the opi uion
i!lat the piesiosstufus has reappeared in this
a,e, probably Win modified IUrm.
THE MONSTER AGAIN SIGHTED.
The sea serpent, which was said To have been
seen near kondout, Thursday, was sighted
asaln that evening, according to report. near
bearen island, On the Hudson. Capt Hitch
| COCK, of the steamer Lottu, who reported nav.
Ing seen IL, says he caught but "a inome n tary
glimpse oi the monster before IL SANK Only =
portion OF the cody appeared above The
water, and the captain said il was "a
large around as the steamer Lutta's
sinokestack, ana OF dark color.
Capt. hitchcock says he saw the monster again
yesterday morning, about nve miles below Al.
bany, IA passenger on the steamer iirst discover.
! Ing IL. Il looked just in time" SAYS Capt
hitchcocK, TO see what looked like a big slate
eoiored head sticking right up out OF the water
i've feet. The siues looked Hat, and il w.as
about Two feet across. did not see any eyes
and suppose tney were on the other side The
/ head stood right up straight for a second or
Two, as II the animal wanted 10 breathe ,uu
| then 1t sunk out vi signI The place where
SAW IL Is ihe deepest spot in the river" Parties
are now searching ior tne monster iOr museum