Saturday, February 21, 2009

MUIRHEAD`S MYSTERIES: A WHITE HARE IN DEVON AND THE REMAINS OF A HUGE BIRD OFF SIBERIA

I have today come across two new stories from the Macclesfield Courier
and Stockport Express or Cheshire General Advertiser.(MC & SE or CGA)
The first story is about a white hare from Devon,the second is far more
controversial, an account of the remains of a huge bird found on an
island in Arctic waters off the north coast of Siberia. Both stories
are from 1811. A Google search for the name "Hedemstrotni" found
nothing,but "New Siberia" does exist and it was discovered c.1806. Huge
birds have been reported from North America but I was unaware of any
from Siberia. Make of this what you will....

" A white hare was killed last week at Puddington, Devon by the Rev Mr
Hole`s harriers. A similar instance occured about 50 years ago in the
same parish."
MC & SE or CGA October 26th 1811

"Hedemstrotni; the Russian naturalist,who recently examined the newly
discovered Island called New Siberia in the Icy Ocean found on it three
birds claws a yard in length; and the roving Jakute (?) related that
they had sometimes found feathers,the barrels of which were capable of
of admitting a man`s clenched fist
. MC & SE or CGA. November 9th 1811.

Could "Jakute" now mean Yackut,i.e. of the Russian region now known by
that title?

1 comment:

  1. Before around 1800 a J was often used instead of a Y when writing, so it could quite possibly be a transliteration from the Cyrillic, that has used a J instead of a Y.

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