NEIL ARNOLD: China’s Child-Stealing Monster

When your parents told you the bogeyman would come and get you if you misbehaved or wouldn’t go to sleep, and you sniggered into your blanket. It’s time to think again….

From the St Petersburg Times, August 25th 1947.

‘Chinese Claim Strange Monster Steals Children –
Shanghai – Villagers and peasants around Pootung, across the Whangpoo river from Shanghai, have established a day and night watch for an amphibious monster which they believe is carrying off children.

Descriptions of the alleged beast vary, some saying it is half-man, half-ape, others that it resembles a huge wild boar. Whether children actually have vanished is uncertain, but two sets of parents , both sampan dwellers, have told of snatching their children to safety in the past week when the monster grabbed for them.’

The Daytona Beach Morning Journal of the same day added, ‘The neighbourhood has no doubts about its existence, however, and had erected a bamboo watchtower which is manned constantly. Volunteers also patrol the creek banks.


The China Press, an English language paper, said a 30-year old woman was killed last week by a posse which threw her into a pound when she refused to confess to any knowledge of the monster. Reasons for suspecting her were not given.’

LINDSAY SELBY: The Creature of Bynoe Harbour

There is very little information about the Beast of Bynoe Harbour near Darwin in North Australia. It has been described as being like a plesiosaur. Sightings of the creature have supposedly taken place through out the area’s history. There are cave paintings said to depict the creature. A picture of a creature, nicknamed the Bynoe Harbour Monster, appeared in a Darwin newspaper after occasional sightings by fishermen. The newspaper is, I presume, the North Territory News but a search has not turned up the article. There were apparently reports claiming that a Mr Burge Brown saw three plesiosaurs swimming off Bynoe Harbour, but again I have been unable to trace the newspaper report.

An Anyuna native from the Northern Territories is said that after seeing the picture in the newspaper he realised that one of the drawings by the indigenous peoples looked like a plesiosaur. I have posted it here. The creature looks to have been disembowelled. Whether that is its intestines next to it or another creature I am not sure. Perhaps someone with more knowledge of the area and culture may know.

Without much evidence to go on I think we could mark this up to misidentification, though the cave painting is intriguing. There are sharks, crocodiles and various other large marine creatures in the waters around Northern Australia that could account for misidentifications. An unevolved prehistoric creature is a very unlikely explanation.

RYEDALE A.S. OPEN SHOW

Hey Jon

Will you, please, place part/whole of the following onto the CFZ blogs for me:

Ryedale Aquarist Society - 11th Open Show & Auction
Sunday 25th April, 2010

Old Malton Memorial Hall, Malton, North Yorkshire. Y017 7HD

Open Show exhibits - 20p

Schedule of Classes

1. Danio and Minnow
2. Rasbora
3. Rainbowfish
4. Guppy
5. Molly and Platy
6. Swordtail
7. A.O.V. Livebearer
8. AV Female Livebearer
9. Breeders - Livebearer
10. Matched Pair - Livebearer
11. Aspidoras and Small Corydoras (up to 5.5cm)
12. Betta splendens (Siamese Fighters)
13. A.O.V. Small Anabantid (up to 10cm)
14. A.O.V. Large Anabantid (over 10cm)
15. Small Barb (up to 10cm)
16. Large Barb (over 10cm)
17. Angel and Discus
18. Endemic Rift Lake Cichlids
19. A.O.V. Small Cichlids (up to 10cm)
20. A.O.V. Large Cichlids (over 10cm)
21. Albino and Xanthic
22. Fundulopanchax, Scriptaphyosemion, Archiaphyosemion, Aphyosemion and Callopanchax
23. A.O.V. Killifish
24. Scleromystax, Brochis and Large Corydoras (over 5.5cm)
25. Female Egglayer
26. Sharks and Foxes
27. Single Tailed Goldfish
28. Double Tailed Goldfish
29 A.O.V. Coldwater
30. Botia and Loach
31. Pencil Fish
32. A.O.V. Small Characin (up to 7cm)
33. Large Characin (over 7cm)A.O.V.
34. Small Catfish (up to 15cm)
35. A.O.V. Large Catfish (over 15cm)
36. A.O.V. Tropical (up to 15cm)
37. A.O.V. Tropical (over 15cm)
38. Matched Pair - Egglayer
39. Breeders - Egglayers
40. Junior


OPEN SHOW AWARDS;-

Y.A.A.S. AWARDS

BEST IN SHOW

BEST EXHIBIT

BEST GOLDFISH EXHIBIT

PRIZES FOR: 1st 2nd AND 3rd PLACE IN ALL CLASSES

JUDGES

Mrs. P. Jones
Mr. T. Douglas
Mr. K. Webb

BENCHING OF OPEN SHOW EXHIBITS - 10.00a.m. to 1.00p.m.

AUCTION

LOTS TO BE TABLED BY 12.15p.m.

TO PRE-BOOK AUCTION LOTS PHONE 01751 472715

AUCTION BEGINS AT 12.30p.m.

AUCTIONEER: Mr. S. Jones

Please note that Ryedale A.S. will take a 15% commission on all auction lots sold.

Please label lots to assist the auctioneer.

Please make sure that all electrical goods are clearly marked with the name and address of the seller.

OPEN SHOW RULES

• Judging to Y.A.A.S. rules and standards. All exhibits to be shown in slab sided containers. All show tanks to have sufficient airspace above the waterline.
• Once benched, exhibits are not to be removed without the permission of the show steward. When de-benching is announced all exhibitors should remain within the show room until it is established that no exhibits are missing.
• To assist the public, exhibitors must name their entries.
• Although Ryedale A.S. will take all possible care of exhibits, and provide access to airpump facilities for use by exhibitors, no responsibility can be accepted for loss or damage to same. Non-exhibitors must gain permission from the Show Steward to take photographs (flash photography is prohibited prior to and during judging) within the showing room. Members of the Ryedale Aquarist Society will be present within the showing room at all times.
• Fish entered in Classes 8 and 39 are to consist of six fish, over four months old, bred by the exhibitor with the date of spawning/birth of the fry and breeding group clearly marked.
• Fish entered in Classes 9 and 38 must be true pairs.
• Entries in Class 40 are for Juniors only. Entries will only be accepted if the Junior, age limit 16, in whose name these fish are benched, is present on the day.

Classes 22 and 23 follow the current killie showing guide as laid down by the Y.A.A.S. Judges and Standards Committee.

The venue operates a strict NO SMOKING or CONSUMPTION OF ALCOHOL policy.

There is ample FREE PARKING around the venue. Refreshments will be available at the venue.

Further details can be obtained from

David Marshall Tel: 01751 472715

e-mail – aquariumgazette@yahoo.com

or visit our web site at http://www.ryedaleaquaristsociety.co.uk/

HOW TO FIND THE VENUE

From WEST YORKSHIRE, SOUTH YORKSHIRE, LANCASHIRE, THE SOUTH etc. – From Tadcaster follow the A64 onto the Malton by-pass. Branch left at signs for Flamingo Land and Steam Railway. At the roundabout take the 3rd exit (A1472) into Old Malton. Carry on past the Wentworth Arms (right-hand side) and the venue is on your left.

From the NORTH-EAST, CUMBRIA, SCOTLAND - From Thirsk (A1 or A19) - Follow A170 road towards Helmsley. Follow road down from Sutton Bank and approx. 2 miles from Helmsley turn right after bend taking the B1257 signposted Malton. From Stokesley go into Helmsley. Turn right at Church and at mini-roundabout turn right onto A170 signposted Thirsk. At top of hill branch left B1257 signposted Malton.
If using caravan route from Thirsk branch right onto B1257 and continue to Malton.

As you enter Malton turn left at first traffic lights and go past the industrial estate. Continue on (schools on right-hand side) down hill to mini-roundabout. Turn left into Old Malton. Church on right. Parking and venue on the right-hand side.

From HUMBER BRIDGE, DRIFFIELD, HULL etc. - Follow the B1248 into Norton turning left into the high street. Go past the swimming baths, turn right over the railway crossing and follow the bend to the traffic lights. At the lights turn right. Go up the hill and past a large glass building (RDC) on your left. At the mini-roundabout go straight over and past the Church. The venue is on your right-hand side.

SCARBOROUGH, BRIDLINGTON - Follow the A64. At the Malton by-pass take the exit signposted Old Malton (A1472) . 1st exit at roundabout. As you enter Old Malton go past the Wentworth Arms (right-hand side) and the venue is on your left.

From WHITBY - Follow the A169 Whitby to Pickering road into Pickering. Going past the cemetery carry straight on to the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto A1472. Going past the turning for Eden Camp brings you to Old Malton roundabout. Take the 2nd exit.. As you enter Old Malton go past the Wentworth Arms (right-hand side) and the venue is on your left.


Thanks Jon

Regards David

NAOMI WEST: Which swallow is this?

Jon

I got weary searching whether our porch birds are Cave Swallows or Cliff Swallows, since they look so similar but none of the pictures online show as much white on the wing as our female, so I'm creating a new category called Porch Birds, which safely covers all birds that nest on the eaves of a porch.

That way they are easy to identify -- kind of like Pet Store Fish vs. Big Water Fish.


You might remember that last year these two birds roosted on our porch every night but had no visible nest nearby. I never knew if they had a nest around or not, but I'm assuming they did. This year they have built it in the corner right across from the front door. That should be interesting when the babies are born, as my friend Dana has suggested I won't be allowed in the vicinity. We'll see.

Naomi

DEWEY LANSING: `Crowd Funding` for Season 2 of "Forests of Mystery"

Hello all –

We are trying out a ‘crowd funding’ technique for season two of our adventure/mystery web series Forests of Mystery. Please help us spread the word! Details are located at:

http://tinyurl.com/y4cwdur

Thanks!

Dewey Lansing
http://www.forestsofmystery.com/

Lethocerus americanus

Could `Christian` who commented on yesterday's post about Asian giant water bugs, please email me on jon@eclipse.co.uk? I am indeed very very interested, as is Max. There should be no legal impediment to sending them to us.

OLL LEWIS: Yesterday's News Today

http://cryptozoologynews.blogspot.com/

On this day in 1961 Yuri Gagarin became the first man in outer space when he orbited the Earth aboard the Vostok 1 spacecraft.
And now, the news:

Officials hope dams' removal will bring the big salmon back
Earthworms form herds and make "group decisions"
'Monster' Captured In Riverside's Lake Evans
Suspected killer whale seen off Gwynedd coast

‘Whale’ that’s something you don’t see every day…