Flap: Village of Perry, New York, Jul–Sep 1855
9 reports · 9 separate documents
Water Monster (5), Other Aquatic (4).
In the 10 years either side we have no other reports within 37 miles of here.
The reports, in order
- Jul 1855 Two young ladies report seeing a serpent while making an excursion on Silver Lake.
Water Monster · Village of Perry, New York - Jul 27, 1855 Witness reports a huge serpent, supposed to be fifty or sixty feet in length, was seen in Silver Lake near Wyoming, N.Y., agitating the water with its tail.
Other Aquatic · Silver Lake, New York - Aug 1, 1855 Witnesses report seeing a large serpent-like monster sunning itself on the surface of Silver Lake for ten to fifteen minutes.
Water Monster · Silver Lake, New York · rabbit hole - Aug 1855 An Indian named [name] recounted that two tribe members were frightened by a serpent monster big as flour barrel on the shore of Silver Lake.
Water Monster · Silver Lake, New York - Aug 15, 1855 Edwin Chapin states he went to Silver Lake on Wednesday evening and looked at birds flying around the foot of the lake, in the context of confirming the…
Other Aquatic · Village of Perry, New York - Aug 18, 1855 A correspondent reports that residents of the Perry region are excited by alleged sightings of a large snake-like monster in Silver Lake, citing historical…
Other Aquatic · Village of Perry, New York - Sep 10, 1855 A gentleman from Perry, New York, reports seeing two large monster snakes and young ones in Silver Lake, describing one with a head larger than a horse's…
Water Monster · Allegany County, New York · rabbit hole - Sep 1855 Witness reports that Mr. S., Mr. [name], and two watchmen observed a large snake-like creature swimming in Silver Lake.
Water Monster · Village of Perry, New York - Sep 1855 A chairmaker who cut flags in Silver Lake twenty years prior reported seeing a monster snake there, frightening his men and causing him to stop working in the…
Other Aquatic · Village of Perry, New York
Sources: Newspaper (9).
How we find flaps
- Plain rules, no model: reports within 37 miles and about four months of each other are grouped, and a group counts only when it is at least 5 times what that place usually sees over the 10 years either side.
- A flap needs at least 3 reports from at least 3 separate documents: one article listing six sightings is one telling.
- Copies are not confirmations: a story reprinted in thirty papers counts once.
- Investigator logs (BFRO, NAWAC, the Loch Ness Register) are left out, because a busy field season looks just like a flap.
- Only reports placed to a town or county and dated to the month are used. A flap is a burst of reports, not proof of a creature: panics, hoaxes and newspaper fashions make flaps too.