Report of a committee of the Linnaean Society of New England, relative to a large marine animal, supposed to be a serpent, seen near Cape Ann, Massachusetts, in August 1817.

  • Linnaean Society of New England.
Date:
1817
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Report of a committee of the Linnaean Society of New England, relative to a large marine animal, supposed to be a serpent, seen near Cape Ann, Massachusetts, in August 1817. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    ed on various authorities, that an animal of very singular appearance had been recently and repeatedly seen in the harbour of Gloucester, Cape Ann, about thirty miles distant from Boston. It was said to resemble a serpent in its general form and motions, to be of immense size, and to move with wonderful rapidity ; to appear on the surface of the water only in calm and bright weather ; and to seem jointed or like a number of buoys or casks following each other in a line. In consequence of these reports, at a meeting of the Linnsean Society of New England, holden at Boston on the 18th day of August, the Hon. John Davis, Jacob Bige- low, M. D. and Francis C. Gray, Esq. were appointed a Committee to collect evidence with regard to the existence and appearance of any such animal. The following re- port made by that Committee Is now published by order of the Society.