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the race of quadrupeds, and the whale and the walrus are probably even more sparingly multiplied. We need scarcely wonder then, that so few instances have occurred of a nature sufficiently positive to dispel all doubts regarding the existence of monstrous sea-animals.^[1]

We shall next relate the only instance on record, of the dead body of the kraken having been found on the Norwegian coast. The account was drawn up by the Rev. Mr Friis, consistorial assessor, minister of Bodoen in Nordland, and vicar of the college for promoting Christian knowledge. In the year 1680, a kraken (perhaps a young and careless one) came into the water that runs between the rocks and cliffs in the parish of Alstahoug, though its usual habit is to keep several leagues from land. It happened that its extended long arms, or antennae, caught hold of some trees standing near the water, which might easily have been torn up by the roots; but besides this, as it was found afterwards, he entangled himself in some openings or clefts in the rock, and therein he stuck so fast, and hung so unfortunately, that he could not work himself out, but perished and putrified on the spot. The carcase, which was a long while decaying, and filled great part of that narrow channel, made it almost impassable by its intolerable stench. Such is the narrative of Mr Friis.

The kraken is frequently mentioned by the northern poet, Dass, from whose writings, as well as from the popular tales of the country, we might adduce many additional quotations to prove the universality of belief in this uncommon animal. The same monster is in all probability alluded to by Olaus Wormius, when treating of whales, in the following passage:

We may here remark, that the circumstance of the dead body of the kraken never being found floating on the sea, is no argument whatever against its existence. The same circumstance may be alleged of all other animals; and it is indeed one of the most singular and unaccountable facts in natural history, that scarcely a creature of any kind is ever found lying dead which had not come to its death by some violent means.^[2]

1. ↑ The following confirmation of the history of the kraken, is extracted from a work of Paulinus: "Retulit mihi olim in Borea adhuc viventi, idque sua manu et antiqua fide, qua eximie pollet, hac ipsa septimana confirmavit fusius Ambrosius Rhodius, med et mathemat. Christianiæ in Norvagia quondam regius, amicus sincerus, nunc Rembergæ, in patria sua degens; in vicinia castelli Wardehuss, monstrum quoddam marinum Laplandiæ et Findmarchiæ incolis, sub elevatione poli 71, gr. 30, Seekrabbe dictum, conspiciendum sedare, mari a ventorum impetu plane tranquillo. Forma refert cancrum heracleoticum, vel majam ut Gesnerus in sua animalium historia hoc cancri genus depingit. At magnitude ipsius plane et monstrosa, et suo ambitu tantum comprehendit spatium, ut turma militum in ipsius dorsi piano commode possit exerceri. Quando mare in Malaciam se componit, a ventis est tranquillum, et sol tempore aestivali suis radiis ablanditur, solet hoc monstrum paulatim et pedetentim, motu fere insensibile, ex aquis alius atque altius emergere, et suum dorsum radiorum solarium calori exponere. In qua statione manet, immotum, donee sol altiores cseli partes deserat, et horizonti fiat proprior, calorque ipsius remissior. Tune, ut motu lento et vix sensibili ex profundo maris emersit, ita se lentu quoque iterum demittit, et sub undis occulat in profundo. Vidcntibus videtur esse scopulus musco obsitas, quamdiu in planitie maris excubat. At si quis scaphis proprius accesserit, brachia expandit, et suis hamis ac uncis, quodcumque apprehendit, ad se pertrahit. Incolæ putant, quod homines tali modo captos devoret. Quando mare a ventis turbatur, latet in profundo nemini nocivum. Addidit alius in septentrion amicus, fide plenus, in dorso hujus monstri arbores satis proceras aliquando fuisse visas. Sic Borellus, c. 1, obs. 10, narrat balaenas dorso viridi et herbis decorato esse adeo, ut quandoque anchoras in eas navigantes prejecerint inque dorsis earum tabernacula posuerint, ignemque accederint (mole enim sua insulam satis magnam æmulabantur); sed, calore tandem penetrante, recessisse, attonitos illos relinquentas." Paulinus, Eph. nat. cur. ann. 8. p. 79.
2. ↑ Mr Pennant mentions a fact relative to the fetid shrew (sorex araneus), which I have never remarked, and which, on inquiry, I cannot find to have been remarked by any of my acquaintance (but which may nevertheless have been correctly ascertained by him), that there is an annual mortality