There are indications that the original 'Nachash' or
'Serpent' of Hebrew tradition and history possessed both
reptilian, draconian as well as amphibian features, and was in
fact a hominoid creature.  Even today, reptilians and amphibians
possess similar characteristics: scales, claws, webbed
appendages, etc.  Scientists tell us that snakes, pleseosaurs
(such as allegedly dwells in Loch Ness in Scotland, former home
of the satanist Aliester Crowley who expressed his own
fascination with the 'beast' of the Loch) and other aquatic or
semi-aquatic reptiles--and amphibians--once possessed lizard-
saurian like limbs before taking up an aquatic or semi-aquatic
existence, after which the limbs became atrophied.  This may
explain why AMPHIBIANS of hominoid form have, like their
reptilian counterparts, been seen on occasion, and have even
caused serious physical injury, unprovoked, to witnesses on the
scene. 
     The following accounts, which appear in 'CURIOUS
ENCOUNTERS', by Loren Coleman (Faber & Faber., Boston, Mass. 
1985) pp. 70-76, describe encounters with reptilian and/or
amphibian hominoid or bi-ped creatures of a semi-aquatic nature. 
We might conclude, based on the above, that the following
accounts may involve yet another branch or branches of the
"Serpent Race" which, although extremely adaptable like a
mutating virus, nevertheless may have had a common root in the
upright-walking lizards that preceded the dinosaurs thousands of
years ago.  The author's reference to "Bigfoot", at least in
these cases, refer to the reptilian-amphibian hominoids that have
been observed, and should not be associated with the "hairy
giants" or humanoids who, unlike the creatures described here,
are apparently part of the human family.  Loren Coleman describes
some encounters with these non-human beasts which have taken
place near the west coast:
     
     "One classic Bigfoot story, (discussed in some detail in
MYSTERIOUS AMERICA) namely, the Wetzel/Riverside, California
sighting on 8 November 1958, CLEARLY FITS THE REPTILIAN MODE
better than the anthropoid one.  Wetzel described, as you may
recall, the fluorescent-eyed 'thing' as having a protuberant
mouth and a body COVERED WITH SCALES, looking like leaves. 
Wetzel's 'thing' emerged from the Santa Ana River underbrush.
     "The connection to water is a strong theme in all of these
accounts so it is not so surprising that the next puzzle comes
from the lake monster file.  Trekking up the West Coast, the
following report concerns a monster that actually looks like it
stepped out of the wardrobe room of the Black Lagoon movie.
     "Thetis Lake is near Cottonwood, British Columbia, not far
from Victoria, Cadboro Bay, off Victoria and Vancouver Island,
(and) is well known for the perennial sea monster
'Cadborosaurus.'  So understandably a new creature in the
neighborhood would be grouped under the same type of facade by
the press.  But the Thetis monster appears to be something else
altogether.
     "On 19 August 1972 Gordon Pike and Robin Flewellyn said a
five-foot-tall animal appeared on the surface of Thetis Lake AND
CHASED THEM FROM THE BEACH.  Flewellyn was CUT on the hand by six
razor-sharp points atop the monster's head.  A Royal Canadian
Mounted Police officer was quoted at the time as saying: 'The
boys seem sincere, and until we determine otherwise we have no
alternative but to continue our investigation.'
     "The next Wednesday afternoon, 23 August, the Thetis Monster
was encountered again.  Mike Gold and Russell Van Nice said they
saw 'it' around 3:30 P.M. and on the other side of the lake away
from the recreation area of its first appearance.  Mike Gold
noted: 'It came out of the water and looked around.  Then it went
back into the water.  Then we ran!'  He described the creature as
'shaped like an ordinary body, like a human being body but it had
a monster face, and it was all scaly (with) a point sticking out
of its head (and) great big ears.'  It was silver.
     "The Thetis monster account sounds similar to one from
Saginaw, Michigan, occurring in 1937.  A man-like monster climbed
up a river bank, leaned against a tree, and then returned to the
river.  The fisherman who witnessed this appearance suffered a
nervous breakdown.  This Saginaw tale, the reports of clawed and
three-toed prints from Wisconsin to Missouri, and other
supposedly 'Bigfoot' or 'manimal' encounters perhaps should be
reexamined in light of the REPTILIAN creatures from the Black
Lagoon.
     "The big Deltox Swamp, Wisconsin flap, investigated by Ivan
T. Sanderson in 1979, for example, has always been shelved with
Bigfoot reports.  But what is to be made of the tracks of the
creature, like footprints of 'a good-sized man with swim fins.'
     "This trait is a more frequent characteristic in the so-
called eastern Bigfoot reports than you might realize.  For
example, there's the case of the creature of Charles Mill Lake in
Mansfield, Ohio.  A green-eyed, seven-foot-tall, seemingly
armless humanoid, seen late in March 1959 by Michael Lane, Wayne
Armstrong, and Dennis Patterson, came out of the lake and left
behind 'tracks that resembled the footgear worn by skin divers.' 
The thing was seen again in 1963 and described as 'luminous and
green-eyed.'  I examined the site of these encounters and can
testify to the Charles Mill Lake's swampy affinities--certainly a
good home for a Black Lagoon beast...
     "In 1973, during the summer, residents of New Jersey's
Newton-Lafayette area described A GIANT, MAN-LIKE ALLIGATOR they
had seen locally.  Newspaper reporters wrote about an old Indian
tale from the region that told of a giant, man-sized fish that
could never be caught.  In 1977, New York State Conservation
Naturalist Alfred Hulstruck reported that the state's Southern
Tier had 'a scaled, man-like creature (that) appears at dusk from
the red, algae-ridden waters to forage among the fern and moss-
covered uplands.'
     "The New York-New Jersey record, however, cannot compare
with the overwhelming series of narratives issuing from one place
in the United States, the Ohio River Valley.
     "Over twenty years ago, by digging into the back issues of
the Louisville, Kentucky, COURIER-JOURNAL, I discovered one of
those gems that has kept me pondering its meaning for two
decades.  The interesting little item was in the 24 October 1878
issue.  A 'WIld Man of the Woods' was captured, supposedly, in
Tennessee, and then placed on exhibit in Louisville.  The
creature was described as being six feet, five inches tall, and
having eyes twice the normal size.  His body was 'COVERED WITH
SCALES.'  This article now makes some sense.
     "And then almost a hundred years later, again near
Louisville, there are more stories of REPTILIAN ENTITIES.  In
October 1975, near Milton, Kentucky, Clarence Cable reported a
'giant lizard' was roaming the forests near his junkyard.  Author
Peter Guttilla described the creature Cable surprised as 'about
fifteen feet long, had a foot-long forked tongue, and big eyes
that bulged something like a frog's.  It was dull-white with
black-and-white stripes across its body with quarter-size
speckles over it.'
     "On-site field investigations by Mark A. Hall, however,
indicated this 'giant lizard' RAN BIPEDALLY, according to OTHER
Trimble County, Kentucky witnesses.  The Ohio River is
Louisville's, Milton's, and Trimble county's northern boundary.
     "On 21 August 1955, near Evansville, Indiana, Mrs. Darwin
Johnson was almost pulled forever into the depths of the Ohio
River.  In what seems to be a very close meeting with one of
those creatures, Mrs. Johnson, of Godtown, Indiana, was swimming
with her friend Mrs. Chris Lamble about fifteen feet from the
shore when SUDDENLY SOMETHING GRABBED HER FROM UNDER THE SURFACE.
It felt like the 'hand' had huge claws and 'furry' (or scaly?)
palms.  It came up from behind, grabbed her left leg, grabbed her
knee, and pulled her under.  She kicked and fought herself free. 
It pulled her under again.  Although both women could not see the
thing, they were screaming and yelling to scare it away. 
Finally, Mrs. Johnson lunged for Mrs. Lamble's inner tube, and
the loud 'thump' apparently scared 'it' away, and 'it' released
its grip.  Back on shore, Mrs. Johnson received treatment for her
scratches and marks on her leg.
     "Fortean investigator Terry Colvin passed on the information
that Mrs. Johnson had a palm-print-shaped green stain below her
knee that could not be removed, and it remained for several days.
(Interestingly, Colvin learned the Johnsons were visited by an
individual who identified himself as an Air Force colonel who
took voluminous notes and warned them not to talk further about
the incident.  Of course, this sounds so similar to the 'Man-In-
Black' encounter that is goes almost without saying.)
     "For anyone who has seen CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON, the
Ohio River encounter of Mrs. Darwin Johnson is already familiar,
for her attack was foreshadowed in that movie...
     "1972... In March of that year on two separate occasions,
two Ohio policemen saw what has become known as the 'Loveland
Frogman.'  Investigated by Ron Schaffner and Richard Mackey,
these researchers interviewed the officers involved but have not
published their names, instead using the fictitious names
'Williams' and 'Johnson.'
     "The first incident took place at 1:00 A.M. on 3 March 1972,
on a clear, cold night.  Officer Williams was on route to
Loveland, via Riverside Road, when he thought he saw a dog beside
the road.  But when the 'thing' stood up, its eyes illuminated by
the car lights, looked at him for an instant, turned, and leapt
over the guardrail.  Williams saw it go down an embankment into
the Little Miami River, a mere fifteen or so miles from the Ohio
River.  He described the thing as weighing about sixty pounds,
about three to four feet tall, having a textured leathery skin,
AND A FACE LIKE A FROG OR LIZARD.  Williams went on to the police
station and returned with Officer Johnson to look for evidence of
the creature.  They turned up scrape-marks leading down the side
of the small hill near the river.
     "On approximately 17 March 1972, Officer Johnson was driving
outside of Loveland when he had a similar experience.  Seeing an
animal lying in the middle of the road, he stopped to remove what
he thought was a dead critter.  Instead, when the officer opened
his squeaky car door, the animal got up into a crouched position
like a football player.  The creature hobbled to the guardrail
and lifted its leg over, while constantly looking at Johnson. 
Perhaps it was the funny smirk on its face, but Johnson decided
to shoot at it.  He missed, he figured, since the thing didn't
slow down.  Johnson later told how he felt it was more upright
than the way Williams described it.  One area farmer told
investigators he saw a large, FROG-LIKE OR LIZARD-LIKE CREATURE
during the same month of the officers' sightings..."