Thomas of Cantimpré [circa 1200-1272 CE] (Liber de natura rerum, Marine monsters 6.33): Sea monks are sea monsters that got their name from their appearance. Such animals live in the British sea. In their lower body they have the form of a fish, but in the upper body they have a human appearance; they have a head like the head of a freshly shaved monk: a shaved and white crown, and a black circle around the head above the places of the ears, like the circle that is left from the hair on the head of a monk or cleric, spread out to a great extent. This monster likes to attract people walking on the shores of the sea and plays in front of them and approaches by leaps and bounds. But if it sees a man delighting in its games, it rejoices, and plays all the more on the surface of the water. But if it sees a man approaching out of admiration, it approaches itself, and if it is given the opportunity, seizes the man and drags him into the depths, and is thus satisfied with his flesh. Its face is not at all like a man's, for it has a nose like a fish, and a mouth continuous with the nose. - [Badke translation/paraphrase]