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Description
Since visiting Loch Ness last spring, I’ve had a rekindled interest in Nessie, so I dug out my old books and went through the sightings and witness sketches. Interestingly, the monster has been seen on land a fair number of times. Also interestingly (to me at least) is the changing image of Nessie over the years.

The earliest clear descriptions indicate a camel-like animal (group of children, 1879; E.H. Bright, 1880; William MacGruer, 1912; Mrs. Cameron, 1919; Col. Fordyce, 1933).

Then there was a phase of otter-like (though very large) creatures, with short, webbed feet, short necks, short faces, and humped backs. These include Alfred Cruickshank, 1923; Mrs. Reid, 1933; Mrs. MacLennan, 1933; Jean MacDonald and Patricia Harvey, 1934.

The Spicers reported a truly odd beast in 1933, with its elephant-like skin, undulating, skinny neck, and bulky body. My drawing is a reproduction of the sketch that accompanied the earliest description of their sighting.

Finally, Arthur Grant’s famous sighting of January, 1934 set the standard for Nessie: 20 feet (6 m long) with a long neck, small head, 4 flippers rather than legs, a long, heavy tail, and humped back. This form was repeated often (Margaret Munro, 1934; Torquil MacLeod, 1960) and immortalized 3 months after Grant’s report by the infamous “Surgeon’s photo.” From that point forward, Nessie looked like a plesiosaur/seal hybrid, just as Grant had verbally described it. I’ve drawn a close reproduction of Grant’s own sketch (his first version, which one presumes to most accurately reflect what he saw) showing a dark brown animal with two humps, sea lion-like front flippers, and mammalian-appearing hind limbs.

The least well-known land sighting was reported by a landscape artist, Alastair Dallas, who drew the animal as it sucked weed off shoreline rocks in 1936. His Nessie is absolutely unique, and my personal favorite. Looking like a cross between a sea horse, a camel, and a sturgeon, it never caught on with the public. I guess plesiosaurs are more appealing to the masses for some reason.

Just a note that this piece has been featured in part at this blog: bizarrezoology.blogspot.com/20…
Check it out for some interesting information on lake monsters and plesiosaurs!

Description
Since visiting Loch Ness last spring, I’ve had a rekindled interest in Nessie, so I dug out my old books and went through the sightings and witness sketches. Interestingly, the monster has been seen on land a fair number of times. Also interestingly (to me at least) is the changing image of Nessie over the years.

The earliest clear descriptions indicate a camel-like animal (group of children, 1879; E.H. Bright, 1880; William MacGruer, 1912; Mrs. Cameron, 1919; Col. Fordyce, 1933).

Then there was a phase of otter-like (though very large) creatures, with short, webbed feet, short necks, short faces, and humped backs. These include Alfred Cruickshank, 1923; Mrs. Reid, 1933; Mrs. MacLennan, 1933; Jean MacDonald and Patricia Harvey, 1934.

The Spicers reported a truly odd beast in 1933, with its elephant-like skin, undulating, skinny neck, and bulky body. My drawing is a reproduction of the sketch that accompanied the earliest description of their sighting.

Finally, Arthur Grant’s famous sighting of January, 1934 set the standard for Nessie: 20 feet (6 m long) with a long neck, small head, 4 flippers rather than legs, a long, heavy tail, and humped back. This form was repeated often (Margaret Munro, 1934; Torquil MacLeod, 1960) and immortalized 3 months after Grant’s report by the infamous “Surgeon’s photo.” From that point forward, Nessie looked like a plesiosaur/seal hybrid, just as Grant had verbally described it. I’ve drawn a close reproduction of Grant’s own sketch (his first version, which one presumes to most accurately reflect what he saw) showing a dark brown animal with two humps, sea lion-like front flippers, and mammalian-appearing hind limbs.

The least well-known land sighting was reported by a landscape artist, Alastair Dallas, who drew the animal as it sucked weed off shoreline rocks in 1936. His Nessie is absolutely unique, and my personal favorite. Looking like a cross between a sea horse, a camel, and a sturgeon, it never caught on with the public. I guess plesiosaurs are more appealing to the masses for some reason.

Just a note that this piece has been featured in part at this blog: bizarrezoology.blogspot.com/20…
Check it out for some interesting information on lake monsters and plesiosaurs!