Comments on: Mysterious African Udilacus

By: Alligator

Alligator — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 22:01:23 +0000

Mynanmes, I think you just hit the nail on the head. Made up “Latin” names. That makes sense.

By: Mnynames

Mnynames — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 22:08:55 +0000

I would hazard a guess that Udilicus is an example of the 19th/early 20th century tendency of ascribing a vaguely Latin-sounding word to an otherwise improbable animal in order to lend weight to its purported existence. Other examples would be the Guyuscutus/Guyanoosa, Hunkus, Wumpus, Agropelter, and perhaps Cadborosaurus. The Jersey Devil was called an Auropocladiuseta and an Asertoraskidimundiakins along with a Pterodactyl and a Peleosaurus cattelleya, an apparently real Dinosaur (Although the name no longer seems to be used, so perhaps it was apocryphal, or named previously elsewhere). I can find no evidence that the other 2 names are real, but perhaps others may know more. My suspicions are that they were made up.

By: Saint Vitus

Saint Vitus — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 17:30:31 +0000

I live in Mobile and have never heard of the Monster of Marmotte Street. I figure it could be filed under Skunk Ape rather than Bigfoot because Mobile is so close to Florida.

By: Alligator

Alligator — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 06:28:20 +0000

I’m hazarding a guess here. There was a lot of pidgin English and local vernacular phrases spoken by black and white Southerners, especially in rural areas. If I’m correct, then the readers in the 1930s probably understood what “Udilicus” meant and the fact that “African” was tagged to it, probably was a further indication of who the comments were about. I’m not a linguist, but historical examples I’ve seen include using the word “vittles” in place of “food” or “finna” meaning “fixing to do” or “edumacation” meaning “education” or “skeedaddle” meaning to flee, etc. I almost wonder if “udilicus” was some corruption or play on the word “ridiculous” since it has a similar flow?

By: cryptidsrus

cryptidsrus — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 00:14:47 +0000

Whatever the meaning, the word certainly sticks in the mind.

I agree that the description is similar to a “Fouke”-type creature.

By: shick29

shick29 — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 00:09:40 +0000

Small world. lol. I have lived in Rock Hill for the past 10 years. I know of 2 old mills on the outskirts of town (one on each end). I’ll have to ask some local friends as where this “Darktown” is/was/whatever…. what’s funny is there are local stories I’ve heard up to a couple years back of sightings in western York county and the Dark corner in Chester county( no, no, no. It refers to the heavily forested corner of Sumter Natl. Forest) it butts up to our county.
Thanks for sharing that story.

By: Ceroill

Ceroill — Sun, 02 Dec 2007 22:49:52 +0000

sausage1, that’s about what I thought. It has a vaguely latin flavor, but seems to be an invention of the person writing the original article.

By: sausage1

sausage1 — Sun, 02 Dec 2007 22:29:40 +0000

Re: udilacus:

I can’t find this word in an any dictionary, encyclopedia or reference book. It has a classical feel to it but thee is nothing in any of my Latin dictionaries. Maybe it’s a nonce word, coined to capture the moment.

Isn’t it strange, and unnerving, to find a person’s ethnicity quoted when reporting their story as if it is somehow relevant to the veracity of the tale? I agree with Jerome Clark, this is stereotyping of the basest type. Repugnant

John Holmes, Cockney (”cor, strike a light, Guv, up the apples and pears …etc…ad nauseam…”

By: mauka

mauka — Sun, 02 Dec 2007 22:01:33 +0000

It looks like ET and a gorilla made something horrible, to horrible to imagine.

By: Bob K.

Bob K. — Sun, 02 Dec 2007 21:22:15 +0000

The accounts presented here seem pretty similar to other Biggie/Skunkape encounters. This creature seemed to be a bit more ornery than your average ‘Squatch, but not that unusaul otherwise. Like D2K4 said, a Biggie dropping down to all fours is unusual, but not unheard of. Thanks for sharing this with us, Loren.