Punch,  19 (1850), 141.

The Irish Sea Serpent

Anon

Genre:

Reportage, Spoof

Subjects:

Monstrosities, Taxonomy, Natural History, Comparative Anatomy, Charlatanry


    Report from 'Punch's Own Correspondent' concerning his observations of the Irish sea serpent. Insists that 'zoological knowledge proved inadequate to its exact classification, that its 'conformation [...] sets every cannon of natural history at defiance', that 'comparative anatomy is all a delusion', and that Richard Owen has deceived himself by regarding the serpent as an imposture. Having described the appearance of the beast, concludes that it is an hybrid of several different animals including the lizard, elephant, ape, and cockatoo.



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