A with the A COLLECTION OF THE ANCIENT AND MODERN AUTHORITIES, HARVARD COLLEGE LIBRARY GIFT OF MRS. PARKER FOTTER SEP 2 1939 Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1849, by JOHN BARTLETT, in the Clerk's Office of the District Court for the District of Massachusetts. PREFACE. THE Sea-Serpent, or Ichthyosaurus, is a Massachusetts fish, recognized as such in more than one work on Ichthyology. Its habits are, therefore, worthy of investigation. It is presumed that two thousand persons in New England have seen the Serpent, or at least suppose that they have seen him, which is equally satisfactory. The author, not having had the good fortune to enroll himself among this favored number, does not pretend to give any opinion with regard to the animal, but simply offers the result of his investigations on this vexed question, and leaves it to the reader to decide for himself. This romance, written in an off-hand way, is designed to show in a more prominent light some of the peculiar traits in the character of this Saurian. The author and the printer have done their best to make it prose; if the reader makes anything else of it, like Andrew Jackson, he must take the responsibility. I am deeply indebted to Professor Agassiz and Amos Lawrence, Esq., for their valuable letters on this subject, which will be found under their proper head. The designs for the engravings were made by Lieut. H. C. Flagg, U. S. N., drawn by Billings, and engraved by Marsh. CAMBRIDGE, Aug. 4, 1849. TO ALL THOSE WHO RESIDE AT THE SEA-SIDE, PRESIDE AT THE FIRE-SIDE, OR RIDE ON THE BLUE TIDE OVER THE OCEAN WIDE, THIS LITTLE BOOK IS RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED, BY THE AUTHOR. |