The Bottineau pioneer. (Bottineau, N.D.) 1885-1895, 1894-02-24
NO SEA-SERPENT.

But There are Several Strange Ma.
rine Animals That Look Like it.
The question Of the existence Of the
"sea-serpent" is solely one of fact.
There is no prior reason why such rep
tiles could not exist, and creatures to
which such a name would apply did
exist in abundance in mesozoic times.
Nevertheless, although there have been
many reports Of the discovery of the
"sea s~erpents," there is not at present
the slightest positive evidence to prove
that such a creature how 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
as the land. The fishes of the sea, from
the surface to the depth Of five miles,
are as well known a. the animals Of
similar size on any of the continents
except Europe. The larger animals
which swim near the surface in the
open ocean are for tho most part we'll
known and have been known ever
since oceanic navigation began. Pro-
i badly not half a dozen species of ma
| rine animals reaching a length OF 10
feet have been discovered in our cen
fury. Most of those now known were
known to the ancients.
The sea-serpent stories may be claS-
sified as follows:
1. Pure inventions, %forecastle yarns,
etc.
2. Alcoholisms.
3. Stories with a foundation Of fact,
the basis being a seal, a fragment OF a
wreck, a long strip Of kelp, or some
other natural object mistaken for q
s erpent.
4. Practical jokes, as the India:rub-
Der sea-scrpent seen on Silver Lake,
N. Y, about 1856. This appeared usu-
ally in the evening and in sight OF the
veranda of the hotel.
5. The great oarfsh, or king OF the
herrings (Regalecus glesne.) This is a
long, slender, ribbon-shaped fish Of the
open sea. It swims in swift undula-
lions, with great speed, on the surface
of the water. 1t reaches a length OF ~
feet or more. The dorsal fin on its
head forms a high crest, like h name
Of a horse, and the fish Is altogether a
striking object. 1t has been but once
taken in American waters, a specimen
having come ashore in Bermuda some
years ago. This fish is remotely allied
to the mackerel. According to DIR.
Goode, all the sea-serpents with up
reared heads and the name of a horse
can Re referred to Regalecus.
A19naller fish Of this type, too small
to seem like a serpent, IS occasionally
taken off our coast and known as king
Of the salmon CTrachypterus rex-sal-
monorum). 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 Is young sea-serpents.
6. The great IL l-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 IL a very rare shark, as
slim and flexible as a snake, and grow
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 20 back to the carboniferous age to
find any like him. This shark, with its
frill of gills about its neck, Is n of
the rarest of fishes, only about four K
listing in collections. 1t is thought to
be the oldest living vertebrate, for all
other sharks Of similar structures have
long since passed away. It IS the or
iginal Of the sea-serpent that swims
low, with its head under water.
Z. The great killer, or gladiator (Or'
caorca). This creature is a 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. II
reaches O length Of 20 to 80 feet. 1t Is
ordinarily detested by fishermen, but
this su"mer it served them a good turn
by rounding up" in Monterey Bay the
shoals of salmon from the neighborina
ocean.
In it's spiteful attack on the whale
and it will kill even the biggest Of
them-it has been taken for a sea-ser'
pent. It's word shaped dorsal fin, some
6 feet high, helps on the illusion. All
the se~a-serpents which attack whales
Choking them in their gigantic folds
and flashing the water for rods into
bloody foam," are doubtless killers.
6. Venomous little snakes exist In
the Indian Ocean. These are we'll
known and are never taken for sea
serpents."
The above record includes all the sea:
serpents of which I have e e records
ND to date.-Prof. D. S. Jordan In the
San Francisco Examiner.