Bilk - no 041 - 1991 05

Magazine Overview

BILK 41, dated May 1991, is a newsletter published by Ulrich Magin from Mutterstadt, Germany. It focuses on unusual reports, folklore, and unexplained phenomena, covering a diverse range of topics from cryptids to marine life and historical curiosities.

BEHEMOTH

This section presents several intriguing reports:

• Florida Monster Lizard: German newspapers reported the capture of the 'Loch Ness monster' in Florida. However, it was identified as a Southeastern Asia-monitor lizard, found in a Florida lake and later brought to Miami. It was suggested to have been a pet that was exposed by its owner.
• Giant Freshwater Ray in Thailand: An article from the Japanese Journal of Ichthyology details the discovery of a giant freshwater ray, *Himantura chaophraya*, in the Chao Phraya River. While initial reports surfaced in 1983, specimens were obtained starting in 1987, marking a significant cryptozoolological discovery where sightings preceded the actual catch.
• Short Bits:
• A swimming golf course on Lake Coeur d'Arlène in Idaho is mentioned, with the suggestion that sightings of a 'beastie' might add to the experience.
• The INFO Journal features a report on an Amerindian cave painting that resembles a flying pterandon, with one wing described as looking like a three-humped lake monster. This is highlighted as a significant case of an 'ancient dinosaur painting'.

ISTS

This section includes contributions and articles:

• La Theorie de la Bipedie initiale (Part 2): Francois de Sarre contributes an article from the French magazine *3º Millenaire*, discussing the hypothetical aquatic hominid from which all animals and humans are descended, suggesting this could explain the existence of 'hominid mermen'.
• Switzerland - Giant Salamander Fossil: In 1726, Swiss doctor Scheuchzer discovered a fossilized giant salamander, which he initially believed to be the skeleton of a sinner drowned in Noah's flood. This fossil, along with the largest preserved specimen of a giant salamander from China, was exhibited in Emmenbrücke, Switzerland. Scheuchzer's misinterpretation inspired Chech writer Carol Capek to write a satire about intelligent, talking, man-like salamanders at war with mankind.

LEVIATHAN

This section focuses on marine and aquatic encounters:

• Bangladesh - Turtle Rescue: A story, previously reported in various versions, tells of a sailor falling overboard and being carried for days by a giant marine turtle until rescued. In this specific case from Chittagong, a South Korean sailor, Lim Kang-Yong, clung to a turtle for six hours after falling into the Bay of Bengal. The turtle was described as friendly and did not harm him, and he was eventually rescued by his shipmates.
• Vietnam - Fire-Spouting Dragon Legend: A report from Vietnam discusses the tourism potential of Halong Bay, known for its striking stone cliffs. According to local legend, the bay was created when a fire-spouting dragon brought happiness to the sea, with the encounter between the monster and waves forming the rock formations. This is noted as the first mention of fire-spouting dragons in the East.
• Short Bits:
• An extract from the Gentleman's Magazine of 1749 describes a 'sea dragon' caught off England, likely a 'jenny hanniver' or sea serpent made from a dried skate.
• BBC Wildlife reported on the first sighting of a living megamouth shark in Dana Point, California, in October 1990.
• Soviet Submarine Incident: A Soviet submarine was reported to be caught in the net of a Polish trawler off the Hel Peninsular in March. The editor mentions a previous explanation to INFO's president that 'Soviet subs off Sweden' were due to mass panic.

MARINE LIFE

This section provides updates on various marine creatures:

• Sharks: A 3m mako shark stranded off Pass-a-Grille beach, Florida, attracted many sightseers. A Phocena phocoena, the smallest cetacean in European coastal waters, was found in the mouth of the Schelde river.
• Whales: Reports include a shoal of porpoises off Sylt, Germany, and 45 pilot whales drowning in a tide near Hyanning Point, Mass. A new species of beaked whale, *Mesoplodon peruvianis*, was described in 1991, marking the tenth new species discovered since 1900. Nature suggests there may be more undescribed species of *Mesoplodon* in the eastern tropical Pacific.
• Other Marine Encounters: A diver in French Polynesia fought off a 'flesh-eating muraena' that attempted to drag a woman underwater. A 600-kilogram sea cow was captured in the pond of a nuclear power plant in St Lucie, Florida, after attempting to escape multiple times, and was subsequently released to the sea.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue of BILK revolve around the existence of unknown creatures ('behemoths'), cryptids, unexplained phenomena, and folklore from around the world. The editorial stance appears to be one of open-minded reporting of unusual events and historical accounts, presenting them for the reader's consideration without necessarily endorsing them as fact. The publication aims to share intriguing bits of information, often sourced from various international newspapers and journals, highlighting the mysterious aspects of nature and human experience.