The revival of the sea serpent tales and theories naturally brings to mind that other marine curiosity so often mentioned in connection with the sea serpent—namely, the mermaid. Many stories are told of this remarkable creature, not only by ancient but by comparatively modern writers and travelers.
    Of course, such superstitions were not to be let pass by those unscrupulous and scheming individuals who are ever ready to use the credulity to their own benefit. Thus, to say nothing of the impostures constantly practiced at fairs and by traveling show people, a striking instance of this kind occurred not many years ago in London. A mermaid was exhibited in a leading street at the west end of the town. A pretty round fee was charged for admission, and the dupes were shown a strange-looking object in a glass case which was unblushingly declared to be a mermaid. But the imposture was too gross to last long. As the result of a law suit which arose over the profits that accrued from the exhibition, it was ascertained to be the dried skin of the head and shoulders of a monkey attached by a glutinous matter to the dried skin of a fish of the salmon kind, and the whole was stuffed and highly varnished, the better to deceive the eye.
    In a pamphlet communicated to the Royal Society in 1676 by one Thomas Stover, “an ingenious chirurgeon” who had lived for some years in Virginia. Mr. Stover would seem to have reckoned the merman among the inhabitants of the colony, judging from the minute accuracy of his description of the creature, which is as follows: “A most prodigious creature much resembling a man, only somewhat larger, standing upright in the water with his head, neck, shoulders and breast to the cubits of his arms above water; his skin was tawny, much like that of an Indian; the figure of his head was pyramidal and slick, without hair; his eyes large and black and so were his eyebrows; his mouth very wide, with a broad black streak on the upper lip; his neck, shoulders, arms and breast were like those of a man; his hands, if he had any, were under water.” The above is suggestive, as illustrating the creative powers of the mind of a person having faith in such superstitions, coupled with a vivid imagination.

Evening Star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.), 28 Dec. 1905. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress.