BILK

Magazine Overview

This is issue #66 of BILK, published in July 1995 by Ulrich Magin from Bietigheim-Bissingen, Germany. Subscriptions cost DM 15 for Europe and DM 20 for the rest of the world. The publisher requests that foreign currency cheques not be sent due to high bank fees.

Behemoth

Crocodiles A 1.50m/5ft crocodile was observed on June 8 in the Marne River at Bry, France. Despite searches by police and the fire brigade, the creature was not found. In a separate incident, Jörg Zars, owner of a pet caiman that escaped into a bathing lake, was charged 18,000 DM for the costs of tracing and hunting the animal. Zars argued the costs were unnecessary, as his small caiman was harmless.

Loch Ness The issue mentions the 'Loch Ness News-clipping Service' (Nr. 2) by Andreas Trottmann. It includes reports of a 'puma' sighting near Fort Augustus on January 31, 1995, by Colin Mackay. The service also discusses new tourist schemes at Loch Ness and the Great Glen, including a visitor centre at Urquhart Castle and a hiking track. It also references clips and photos of bottlenose dolphin attacks on harbour porpoises in Moray Firth, previously mentioned in BILK. The editor recommends subscribing to this service and 'The Nessletter' for those interested in Loch Ness.

Bibliography This section lists several entries: a giant beaver in Moline, Illinois; a dog-faced catfish in Clear Lake, California; a 'dragon' or iguana emerging from a cloud in Veracruz, Mexico, on March 16, 1994; and further information on the surgeon's photo hoax of Nessie from April 1, 1934, discussed in 'The Nessletter' (issue 121).

Leviathan

Chesapeake Bay In September 1994, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service searched for a manatee seen off Queen Anne's County, Maryland. The report questions whether it was an out-of-place seacow, a mermaid, or 'Chessie'. The 'INFO Journal' also notes other unusual creatures in the area, including a 20 ft/6m whale in the Potomac River and seals sighted in the East River, New York. The article suggests that the presence of such marine life can often explain sightings of sea serpents.

Tasmania A headline in German newspapers described a creature as a "Body of a serpent with the head of a horse." However, it was identified as a sea-horse, making it a small sea-serpent. This was one of 20 new species discovered by zoologists in the shallow sea off Tasmania. Oceanologist Peter Last of CSIRO explained that a new species of skate was found in the Bathurst Channel in 1988. Further investigation revealed up to 20 unknown species in the shallow sea off the southwest coast, many of which may have existed in symbiosis for thousands of years. Biologist Mike Driessen noted that most of these animals were not yet scientifically described, including a colourful marine slug, coral, sponges, and other creatures resembling those from science fiction. The article clarifies that the skate was the only vertebrate found, and the 'half snake half horse' animal was not further elaborated upon.

Kraken

Bibliography Two German science monthlies, 'P.M.' and 'Illustrierte Wissenschaft', featured reports in their June 1995 editions on octopi, their intelligence, and behavior, including brief mentions of giant octopi and squids, but without new details.

Marine Life

Whales A third whale stranded on the German North Sea coast within a month. An 8m whale was found at Büsum, following an 18m fin whale and a pilot whale reported earlier. A beluga whale was sighted in Frederica, Denmark.

Sharks A shark attack was reported in Central America on May 27. On June 14, a 45-year-old woman was attacked by a shark in Hong Kong, marking the third deadly victim of a shark attack in June. Reports came from various German newspapers and news agencies.

The Rest An increasing number of crocodiles poses a threat in Northern Australia. A 50 cm long alligator turtle was found in a dry pond at the Bayer factory in Krefeld, Germany, likely an escaped pet that had been living there for several years.

Fortean Tidbits

Rain Prayer in Saudi Arabia After a prolonged drought, King Fahd of Saudi Arabia asked the populace to pray for rain, following guidelines established by Mohamed.

Atlantis An architect from Kirchheim claims to have found Atlantis, situated in Morocco south of Agadir.

Dinosaurs Recent reconstructions suggest that the dinosaur Procompsognathus, previously found in two examples in Baden-Württemberg, were not real creatures but consisted of bones from two different species.

Fish Discoveries Five new species of fish have been discovered during scientific investigations in Papua New Guinea.

Coelacanth Threat New fishing methods are threatening the Coelacanth, a living fossil from the Comores Island, with extinction. Scientists estimate the entire population to be between 200 and 230 animals.

Cryptozoology

Yeti in China Two conflicting news items are presented regarding a Chinese yeti expedition. One report from 'taz' on May 20 stated the expedition returned without a trace. However, a report in 'Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung' on June 10 indicated that a Chinese expedition had returned with "indirect evidence" for the yeti after an intense search in the mountains of Hubei. Scientist Wang Fanchen told Xinhua on June 9 that he had filed 114 sightings of the yeti spanning the last 70 years.

Conclusion

This issue of BILK concludes by noting that, apart from recent biological discoveries, there is little news of sea and lake monsters. The editor, Ulrich, reminds readers that their news and views are always welcome.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue of BILK are the reporting of unusual animal sightings and discoveries, often referred to as 'behemoths' or 'leviathans'. The magazine appears to have a neutral to slightly skeptical stance, presenting reports from various sources, including newspapers and scientific investigations, while also acknowledging the cryptozoological interest in phenomena like the Loch Ness Monster and the Yeti. The editorial stance encourages reader participation by welcoming their news and views, suggesting a community-driven approach to collecting information on unexplained phenomena.