The sun., 1894-02-15
NO sEA-sERPENT.



rine Animals That Look Like 1t.
The question of the existence of the
'Asea-serpent" is solely one of fact.
There is no prior reason why such rep
tiles could not exist, and creatures to
which such name would apply did
exist in abundance in mesozoic times.
Nevertheless, although there have been
many reports of the discovery Of the
''sea serpents," there is not at present
the slightest positive evidence to prove
that such creature now inhabits the
SEA. 1t is not within the realm of pro-
liability that any marine reptile OF
large size other than sea turtles now
exist.
The sea has been as fully explored
ii, sha land. The fishes of the sea, from
d. : surface to the depth of five miles.
are lis well known as the animals or
similar size on any of the continents
except Europe. The larger animals
which swim near the surface in the
open ocean are for thu most part well
known and have been known ever
since oceanic navigation began. Pro"
badly not half dozen species OF ma
rine animals reaching length of 10
feet have been discovered in our cen
tury. Most of those now known were
known to the GncieutS.
The sea-serpent stories may be clas-
sified rs follows:
l. Pure inventions, forecaSue yarns,
etc.
2. Alcoholisms.
8. Stories with q foundation OF fact.
the basis being Il seal, Il fragment or a
wreck, 4 long strip of kelp, or some
other natural object mistaken for a
serpent.
4. Practical jokes, as the India-rub-
Der sest-snrpent seen on Silver Lake,
n. Y, about 1855. This appeared usu-
ally in the evening and in sight OF the
veranda of the hotel.
). The great oartish, or king OF Hhe
herringS Regalecus gleSneO This is a
long, slender, ribbon-shaped fish of the
open sea. It SWims in swift undula-
tions, with great speed, on the surface
of the water. 1t reaches length OF 20
feet or more The dorSal fin on its
head forms a high crest, like the name
of a horse, and the fish is altogether
striking object. 1t has been but once
taken in American waters, a specimen
having come ashore in Bermuda some
wears ago. This fish Is remotely allied
to the mackerel. According to DR..
GOOde, all the Sea-serpentS with up
reared heads and the name Of horse
can be referred to RegalecuS.
A smaller fish of this type, too small
to seem like a serpent, is occasionally
taken off our coast and known as king
of the salmon TrachypteruS rex-sal-
monOum). The Chinook Indians be-
lieve that if this fish is caught the sal
mon will cease running. A similar
noxious influence is eXerted by the
birth Of twins. Other swift-mOving,
ribbon-shaped surface fishes, as the
threaded, the cutlass fish, etc, have
been reported as young sea-seTpents.
6. The great frill-shark (ChlamydOse"
lachus anguineus) has been reported as
a sea serpent 1t was correctly drawn
as such by a Maine fisherman before its
occurrence in the Atlantic Ocean was
known. This is a very rare shark, as
to be Is feet or more in length. 1t has
the general structure of the shark, or
rather of the extinct shark, for one has
to go back to the carboniferous age to
find any like him. This shark, with its
frill of gills about its neck, is one OF
the rareSt of fishes, only about four ex-
listing in collections. 1t is thought to
be the oldest living vertebrate, for all
Jo,, c,fy 1S141y I1ou
long since passed away. 1t is the Or
ig1nai Of the sea-serpent that sW1ms
low, with it's head under water.
Z. The great killer, or gladiator (Or-
caorca). This creature is water
mammal allied to the porpoise and dol
phin. 1t is very swift and strong, and
of so savage a disposition that it is the
terror of whales, seals sharks, sword
fishes and Of large fishes generally. 1t
reaches a length of 30 to 30 feet. It is
ordinarily detested by fishermen, but
this sumner it served them good turn
by rounding up" in Monterey Bay the
shoals of salmon from the neighboripg
ocean.
In it's spiteful attack OH the whale
and it will kill even the biggest OF
them-it has been taken for sea-ser-
pent. It's word shaped dorsal fin, some
6 feet high, helps on the illusion. All
the sea-serpents which attack whales,
choking them in their gigantic folds"
and flashing the water for rods Into
bloody foam," are doubtless killers.
8. Venomous littl" snakes exist in
the Indian Ocean. These are we'll
krown and are never taken for "sea-
seFpents."
The above record includes all the sea-
serpents of which / have seen records
up to date-PrOf. D. S. Jordan in the
| San Francisco Examiner.