The day arrived at last, then: yesterday Jon and Corinna Downes, Devon and cryptozoology's answer to Hart to Hart and Dempsey and Makepeace, left headquarters for sunny Texas. Their mission - which they chose to accept - is to document and investigate the existence of the infamous blue dog. I'm sure we all wish them Godspeed and good luck.
However, there are more pressing concerns back home. Graham phoned me earlier on this evening to discuss our managing of the blog while our glorious leaders are away and I'm afraid we have a very serious problem.
Graham has beer tonight to help him work and I don't! Please send all donations in recyclable aluminium c/o the CFZ address and I'm sure he'll pass them on to me....
Graham's note: yes, indeed. After the blog "proofreading" was done, I put my feet up and had a couple of cans of the somewhat strangely-named Worthington's Creamflow Draft Bitter.
Liz's note: Well, I had chocolate cake, so there....
Thursday, March 04, 2010
FEBRUARY'S HIT PARADE FROM CFZ PRESS
UK
1= The Owlman and Others by Jonathan Downes (3)
1= Extraordinary Animals Revisited by Dr Karl Shuker (5)
3 Big cats loose in Britain by Marcus Matthews (-)
4= The Monster of the Mere by Jonathan Downes (-)
4= Big Cats in Britain Yearbook 1997 (-)
4= Big Cats in Britain Yearbook 1998 (-)
7= Man Monkey - In Search of the British Bigfoot by Nick Redfern (10)
7= Dark Dorset by Mark North and Robert Newland (-)
7= The Mystery Animals of the British Isles: Northumberland by Mike Hallowell (-)
7= The Mystery animals of Britain: Kent by Neil Arnold (2)
US
1 Extraordinary Animals Revisited by Dr Karl Shuker (2)
2 Dr Shuker's Casebook by Dr Karl Shuker (-)
3= Big Bird by Ken Gerhard (1)
3= Monster - the A-Z of Zooform Phenomena by Neil Arnold (4)
3= Giant Snakes by Michael Newton (4)
3= Star Steeds and Other Dreams by Dr Karl Shuker (-)
7= In the wake of Bernard Heuvelmans by Michael Woodley (5)
7= The Centre for Fortean Zoology Yearbook 2010 (-)
9 The Mystery Animals of the British Isles: Northumberland by Mike Hallowell (-)
10 The Owlman and Others by Jonathan Downes (86)
Last month's positions in this pinky colour, which I think is called cerise.
I am reasonably happy with March's sales. However, it is quite a strange chart: I don't think I have ever known so many new entries, but I am not going to complain....
1= The Owlman and Others by Jonathan Downes (3)
1= Extraordinary Animals Revisited by Dr Karl Shuker (5)
3 Big cats loose in Britain by Marcus Matthews (-)
4= The Monster of the Mere by Jonathan Downes (-)
4= Big Cats in Britain Yearbook 1997 (-)
4= Big Cats in Britain Yearbook 1998 (-)
7= Man Monkey - In Search of the British Bigfoot by Nick Redfern (10)
7= Dark Dorset by Mark North and Robert Newland (-)
7= The Mystery Animals of the British Isles: Northumberland by Mike Hallowell (-)
7= The Mystery animals of Britain: Kent by Neil Arnold (2)
US
1 Extraordinary Animals Revisited by Dr Karl Shuker (2)
2 Dr Shuker's Casebook by Dr Karl Shuker (-)
3= Big Bird by Ken Gerhard (1)
3= Monster - the A-Z of Zooform Phenomena by Neil Arnold (4)
3= Giant Snakes by Michael Newton (4)
3= Star Steeds and Other Dreams by Dr Karl Shuker (-)
7= In the wake of Bernard Heuvelmans by Michael Woodley (5)
7= The Centre for Fortean Zoology Yearbook 2010 (-)
9 The Mystery Animals of the British Isles: Northumberland by Mike Hallowell (-)
10 The Owlman and Others by Jonathan Downes (86)
Last month's positions in this pinky colour, which I think is called cerise.
I am reasonably happy with March's sales. However, it is quite a strange chart: I don't think I have ever known so many new entries, but I am not going to complain....
OLL LEWIS: Yesterday's News Today
http://cryptozoologynews.blogspot.com/
On this day in 1904 Nikola Tesla described the formation of ball lightning in the publication ‘Electrical World and Engineer’. Ball lightning is a phenomena that is often used to explain away a number of strange, Fortean or paranormal occurrences by sceptics who are presumably unaware that even ball lightning itself is part of what Fort would have called ‘the damned’, or at the least still disputed by some scientists. For more info on ball lightning see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ball_lightning
And now fresh from the CFZ news blog, managed by the irreplaceable Gavin Wilson, I present to you the latest Fortean zoology news:
'Extinct' Aussie Frog Didn't Croak After All
Castrate Knut The Polar Bear: Animal Rights Group
Chicken defecates on Alan Titchmarsh
London stage fright: rats, mice and fleas
Cheeky monkey on the loose in Florida
The nature of Monkey was irrepressible.
On this day in 1904 Nikola Tesla described the formation of ball lightning in the publication ‘Electrical World and Engineer’. Ball lightning is a phenomena that is often used to explain away a number of strange, Fortean or paranormal occurrences by sceptics who are presumably unaware that even ball lightning itself is part of what Fort would have called ‘the damned’, or at the least still disputed by some scientists. For more info on ball lightning see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ball_lightning
And now fresh from the CFZ news blog, managed by the irreplaceable Gavin Wilson, I present to you the latest Fortean zoology news:
'Extinct' Aussie Frog Didn't Croak After All
Castrate Knut The Polar Bear: Animal Rights Group
Chicken defecates on Alan Titchmarsh
London stage fright: rats, mice and fleas
Cheeky monkey on the loose in Florida
The nature of Monkey was irrepressible.
Wednesday, March 03, 2010
ANDREW GABLE: Canine Hoofprints
Hey Jon,Wanted to send you some pictures I took this morning... now, allow me to preface this by saying that these are undoubtedly dog tracks (either from our dog or our neighbours' dogs) planted in snow that had melted for a few days. We've heard from CFZ research tonnes of things on how melting tracks in the snow can resemble something they're not. When I saw these I was struck by how hoof-like some of them appeared, although as I said, they are indeed, dog tracks. Not saying that all of the supposed "devil's footprints" discoveries are of melted dog prints or anything, but just interesting from a
general sort of P.O.V.Andrew
LAUNCHING THE TEXAS EXPEDITION BLOG
http://texasbluedogs.blogspot.com/Today we are launching the dedicated blog for the Texas expedition. Each time we do an expedition there is a dedicated blog but this one is different. Because we are going to have internet access most (if not all) of the time, we shall be able to upload stories, postings, pictures (and maybe even film) of our adventures, and will be able to share the expedition with the bloggo readership on an ongoing basis.
We are leaving the main bloggo in the capable hands of Lizzy Clancy and Graham Inglis, and we are sure they will do such a good job while we are away that you won't want to have us back in 18 days time....
GLEN VAUDREY: The last dive between the pages of `The Savage World`
For my final dive between the pages of The Savage World I look at one of my favourite animals and perhaps the most likely extinct animal to make a return to the known world, the thylacine.Strangely, the author appears to have a little difficulty picking a name for it and comes up with five different ones in the same short passage.
‘The Zebra Wolf, or Dog-headed Opossum (Thylacynus cynocephalus), is not strictly an opossum, for its hind feet lack thumbs, the tail is hairy and non-prehensile, and it has too few incisor teeth in each jaw. It is called the Tasmanian wolf, the Australian tiger, the Zebra wolf, and the Australian hyena. It is carnivorous like the wolf, to which it has many resemblances. Its bo
dy slopes forward in consequence of its hind legs being longer than the fore legs; its elongated thick muzzle is almost cylindrical, its tail broad at the base tapers to a point, and it dresses itself in gray indulging, however in black stripes across its back and hind legs.
dy slopes forward in consequence of its hind legs being longer than the fore legs; its elongated thick muzzle is almost cylindrical, its tail broad at the base tapers to a point, and it dresses itself in gray indulging, however in black stripes across its back and hind legs. It is very destructive to flocks and is hence anything but a favorite with farmers. Its digestion is sufficiently remarkable to admit of its competing with the goat or the ostrich, since it has been known to eat the porcupine, quills and all.
The animal is nocturnal in its habits and 
specially particular about making its home wherever the light of day cannot penetrate. The animal has only rudimentary marsupial organs’
specially particular about making its home wherever the light of day cannot penetrate. The animal has only rudimentary marsupial organs’ I will let the author off this time for not seeing the extinction of this animal coming. The last captive thylacine died on 7 September 1936 in Hobart Zoo, Tasmania. While that may be the official end, reports of sightings have carried on and I, like many others, would not be at all surprised if one or more examples appeared out of the
bush in the next year or so.
bush in the next year or so.MUIRHEAD`S MYSTERIES: LAKE MONSTERS AND METEOROLOGY PART ONE
Folks,
You might be asking – what is the connection between lake monsters and meteorology? If you`re now thinking 'waterspouts' because of their appearance and behaviour, you`re right, particularly with this first case: The lake monster of the Lake of Ligny, France. This account from around 1760 appears as an appendix to my article `Flying snakes and jumping snakes – a worldwide survey` in the CFZ Yearbook 2010 pp 179. The appendix runs as follows:
'A flying snake or a waterspout? Another French enigma
'The following translation from the original French appeared originally in `Histoires` et Histoire du Pays D`Annot` by Jean-Louis Dannot (1988 pp.154-155) It shows a highly interesting confusion in the eyes and minds of the eyewitness observers to what is probably the misidentification of a waterspout, a meteorological phenomenon that can occur in thundery weather In 1837 the newspaper `Des Basses Alpes` wrote this story which could be listed under the heading of fantastic legends. The incident happened in the Lake of Ligny situated (? Word unclear) far from the village of `Aurent`. The accumulating clouds on the Lake of Ligny are normally the precursors of the frequent storms in the high valleys and the source of the pagan superstitions assigned to the presence of a monster
A very old man assured me that his grandfather (around 1760) was a witness of the appearance of the monster which he gave the name `Vouivre` he said: “ It was the day of St Fiacre: Every year all the people from the local villages went to the lake of Ligny and prayed to God to stop the storm from happening. My grandfather left his village at dawn. As she was siting at the lake shore for the procession suddenly the sky was covered with dark clouds which were whirling around themselves like a spinning top. In the middle of the waves of the bubling water , a huge green snake rose up with the head of a bull,the mane of a lion,the wings of a bat,and the cries resembled the crackling of thunder. As soon as the prayers of the procession started to be heard, the clouds and `Vouivre` faded like a dream.
And now in 1839, because there is no procession by the Lake of Ligny, the rain from the storm made ravines everywhere'. (1)
In 1976 The Journal of Meteorology published an article by George T. Meaden (now of TORRO, the storm and tornado research organisation. He is a friend of mine.) titled `A Meteorological Explanation For Some of the Mysterious Sightings on Loch Ness and other Lakes and Rivers.`
In it Meaden says: "The saga of the Loch Ness monster is one of compelling interest for scientists and laymen alike If the `monster` should ever prove to be a previously-unknown aquatic animal, it would be a triumph for the zoologists who establish the truth via a live specimen or corpse. But if, as is more probable, no such monster has survived from prehistoric times, the saga at any rate appears to have the resources necessary for surviving a long time into the future. This is due to proven characteristics of human nature, for the monster hunt has long since aquired the stature of the interminable search for the unidentified flying objects ( UFOs)…The purpose of this article is to introduce into the discussion of puzzling lake apparations a meteorological phenomenon which has not been considered by previous writers on Loch Ness monsters. This is the so-called water-devil or water-whirlwind,and its occurrence will be shown to explain a particular class of previously unidentified lake phenomena very well. At the same time, some of the legends appear to be explicable in terms of waterspouts or tornadoes."
Meaden then gives the following example: `The 2nd June (1779) sitting by the water we saw a pillar of water rise as high as the tallest tree, and fall down again, after which it rolled along for a considerable space in large rolls as if a cask had been under the water, (and out of those rolls sprung up small strings of water, rising pretty high, as out of the strup of a razor) –The noise it made was such as a firework of powder makes when first set off,but much louder. The day was clear, fine sunshine and not a breath of wind.` (2)
Meaden then gives the example of Ogopogo: on p. 170 of Dinsdale`s first edition of The Loch Ness Monster a legendary water serpent called Ogopogo from Lake Okanagan, British Columbia, is described. This lake is much bigger than Loch Ness, being some 70-80 miles in length.
`Chief Timbashet...proceeded up the lake by the shortest possible route. Approaching the rocky point…waves were suddenly seen to arise around the canoe and in a fury of foam and spray,the Chief and his family disappeared – and were not seen again.The other Indians…knew at once that N`ha-a-itk (or Ogopogo)…had whipped up the engulfing waves by lashing with his tail.`
This and similar stories were intended to provide indirect support for the existence of inland water monsters. However, such stories are surprisingly common across the world, the reason for which is probably the comparatively high frequency of storms and waterspouts (they are much more commonplace than monsters) and the occasional resulting fatality. (3)
Later, we have the following account from Loch Ness in 1930, reported in the Northern Chronicle on June 14th 1933 and published by Dinsdale (4) `…we heard a terrible noise in the water and looking round we saw about 600 yards distant a great commotion,with spray flying everywhere. Then the fish – or whatever it was - started coming towards us and when it was about 300 yards away it turned to right and went into Holly Bush Bay and disappeared in the depths. Durings its rush it caused a wave about 21/2 feet, sufficient to rock the boat. My opinion is that it is an enormous eel, about 20 feet long. (5)
1. R.Muirhead Flying snakes and jumping snakes a worldwide survey. CFZ Yearbook 2010 p.179
2. G.T.Meaden. A Meteorological Explanation for Some Of The Mysterious Sightings on Loch Ness and Other Lakes and Rivers` The Journal of Meteorology vol.1 no 4 Jan.1976 p.118-119
3. Ibid p.121
4. T.Dinsdale Loch Ness Monster (1961) p.163
5. Northern Chronicle June 14th 1933
Bob Dylan Quinn The Eskimo (The Mighty Quinn)
Ev`rybody`s building the big ships and boats
Some are building monuments,
Others,jotting down notes,
Ev`rybody`s in despair
Ev`ry girl and boy
But when Quinn the Eskimo gets here
Ev`rybody`s gonna jump for joy.
Come all without,come all within,
You`ll not see nothing like the Mighty Quinn
You might be asking – what is the connection between lake monsters and meteorology? If you`re now thinking 'waterspouts' because of their appearance and behaviour, you`re right, particularly with this first case: The lake monster of the Lake of Ligny, France. This account from around 1760 appears as an appendix to my article `Flying snakes and jumping snakes – a worldwide survey` in the CFZ Yearbook 2010 pp 179. The appendix runs as follows:
'A flying snake or a waterspout? Another French enigma
'The following translation from the original French appeared originally in `Histoires` et Histoire du Pays D`Annot` by Jean-Louis Dannot (1988 pp.154-155) It shows a highly interesting confusion in the eyes and minds of the eyewitness observers to what is probably the misidentification of a waterspout, a meteorological phenomenon that can occur in thundery weather In 1837 the newspaper `Des Basses Alpes` wrote this story which could be listed under the heading of fantastic legends. The incident happened in the Lake of Ligny situated (? Word unclear) far from the village of `Aurent`. The accumulating clouds on the Lake of Ligny are normally the precursors of the frequent storms in the high valleys and the source of the pagan superstitions assigned to the presence of a monster
A very old man assured me that his grandfather (around 1760) was a witness of the appearance of the monster which he gave the name `Vouivre` he said: “ It was the day of St Fiacre: Every year all the people from the local villages went to the lake of Ligny and prayed to God to stop the storm from happening. My grandfather left his village at dawn. As she was siting at the lake shore for the procession suddenly the sky was covered with dark clouds which were whirling around themselves like a spinning top. In the middle of the waves of the bubling water , a huge green snake rose up with the head of a bull,the mane of a lion,the wings of a bat,and the cries resembled the crackling of thunder. As soon as the prayers of the procession started to be heard, the clouds and `Vouivre` faded like a dream.
And now in 1839, because there is no procession by the Lake of Ligny, the rain from the storm made ravines everywhere'. (1)
In 1976 The Journal of Meteorology published an article by George T. Meaden (now of TORRO, the storm and tornado research organisation. He is a friend of mine.) titled `A Meteorological Explanation For Some of the Mysterious Sightings on Loch Ness and other Lakes and Rivers.`
In it Meaden says: "The saga of the Loch Ness monster is one of compelling interest for scientists and laymen alike If the `monster` should ever prove to be a previously-unknown aquatic animal, it would be a triumph for the zoologists who establish the truth via a live specimen or corpse. But if, as is more probable, no such monster has survived from prehistoric times, the saga at any rate appears to have the resources necessary for surviving a long time into the future. This is due to proven characteristics of human nature, for the monster hunt has long since aquired the stature of the interminable search for the unidentified flying objects ( UFOs)…The purpose of this article is to introduce into the discussion of puzzling lake apparations a meteorological phenomenon which has not been considered by previous writers on Loch Ness monsters. This is the so-called water-devil or water-whirlwind,and its occurrence will be shown to explain a particular class of previously unidentified lake phenomena very well. At the same time, some of the legends appear to be explicable in terms of waterspouts or tornadoes."
Meaden then gives the following example: `The 2nd June (1779) sitting by the water we saw a pillar of water rise as high as the tallest tree, and fall down again, after which it rolled along for a considerable space in large rolls as if a cask had been under the water, (and out of those rolls sprung up small strings of water, rising pretty high, as out of the strup of a razor) –The noise it made was such as a firework of powder makes when first set off,but much louder. The day was clear, fine sunshine and not a breath of wind.` (2)
Meaden then gives the example of Ogopogo: on p. 170 of Dinsdale`s first edition of The Loch Ness Monster a legendary water serpent called Ogopogo from Lake Okanagan, British Columbia, is described. This lake is much bigger than Loch Ness, being some 70-80 miles in length.
`Chief Timbashet...proceeded up the lake by the shortest possible route. Approaching the rocky point…waves were suddenly seen to arise around the canoe and in a fury of foam and spray,the Chief and his family disappeared – and were not seen again.The other Indians…knew at once that N`ha-a-itk (or Ogopogo)…had whipped up the engulfing waves by lashing with his tail.`
This and similar stories were intended to provide indirect support for the existence of inland water monsters. However, such stories are surprisingly common across the world, the reason for which is probably the comparatively high frequency of storms and waterspouts (they are much more commonplace than monsters) and the occasional resulting fatality. (3)
Later, we have the following account from Loch Ness in 1930, reported in the Northern Chronicle on June 14th 1933 and published by Dinsdale (4) `…we heard a terrible noise in the water and looking round we saw about 600 yards distant a great commotion,with spray flying everywhere. Then the fish – or whatever it was - started coming towards us and when it was about 300 yards away it turned to right and went into Holly Bush Bay and disappeared in the depths. Durings its rush it caused a wave about 21/2 feet, sufficient to rock the boat. My opinion is that it is an enormous eel, about 20 feet long. (5)
1. R.Muirhead Flying snakes and jumping snakes a worldwide survey. CFZ Yearbook 2010 p.179
2. G.T.Meaden. A Meteorological Explanation for Some Of The Mysterious Sightings on Loch Ness and Other Lakes and Rivers` The Journal of Meteorology vol.1 no 4 Jan.1976 p.118-119
3. Ibid p.121
4. T.Dinsdale Loch Ness Monster (1961) p.163
5. Northern Chronicle June 14th 1933
Bob Dylan Quinn The Eskimo (The Mighty Quinn)
Ev`rybody`s building the big ships and boats
Some are building monuments,
Others,jotting down notes,
Ev`rybody`s in despair
Ev`ry girl and boy
But when Quinn the Eskimo gets here
Ev`rybody`s gonna jump for joy.
Come all without,come all within,
You`ll not see nothing like the Mighty Quinn
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