Boston Journal
Boston, Massachusetts
June 23, 1898

THE FABLED MERMAID.

A Remarkable Marine Creature With Human Face Picked Up at Nantucket.

Nantucket, June 22. — Mr. William H. Norcross, while fishing off Quidnet Beach today, found a small animal, which had been dead some time, and had a shape which was nearly human, with eyes, nose and mouth exactly like those of a person. One of the old sea captains claims that he found one once in the South Pacific Ocean exactly the same as this one, only it was alive, but died in a short time, and he says it is the original of the fabled mermaid. Mr. Norcross is planning to preserve the animal, as much as possible, and to have it examined by a naturalist.

Thanks to Jerome Clark.