Phonera Mutabilis: A Retrospective Study

Goals of the Study

Though the literature abounds with speculations as to the origin of Phonera mutabilis, none of the available studies have, in the opinion of the authors, gone beyond mere speculation.  That such a creature even exists is doubtable.  Perhaps some background information would be useful for those unfamiliar with the accounts surrounding the species.  Dominico Briati, in his Travels in the New Continent and Surrounding Islands referred in several places to an animal, "which seemes to followe at some distance from the Adventurers, and mimics our jestures with starteling precision."  Hammersby writes that, "when slaughtered and kill'ed, the Hunter findes the creature's bodie to containe no flesh at all, merely a black, foule smelling cavitie."  Piero names it "mock-beast" from observing the same mimicry that Briati writes of, and notes that they were plentiful, "15 miles by horseless carriage from Hemton, in a thick and treacherous juniper swamp, the which fed by a delightful spring of cold and clear water bubbling amid calciferous formations."  This would seem to point to Boder Bay, which is the only such swamp an hour from Hemton (considering the speed of motor vehicles in Piero's day).

From certain independent observations, documented in previous publications of the authors, it was deduced that such a creature, even in the absence of recently documented sightings or specimens, may be said to exist, but only in the presence of an observer actively seeking it.  In reference to a certain yellow aster of the Peninsula (A. hypericoides), it was shown in the work "Uncertainty and Experimenter Bias in Biological Monitoring" that species which have been long disregarded by researchers tend to fail to present themselves in subsequent studies, and decline in observable numbers.  Though faulted by many for its failure to consider the effect of observation (even by remote means) on such species, the study nonetheless presents a theororetical model for the nonexistence of certain species which has yet to be superceded.  Using this model as a basis, the research team set out for Boder Bay in the hopes of reviving a population of Phonera mutabilis through active searching techniques.

Methods

The experiment was set up in a clearing of 50 feet square, located at 57º20'13"N x 29º9'52"E, a location in Boder Bay easily accessible by forest roads.  Two VHS recorders were positioned 20 feet apart, facing each other, both disguised by leafy branches.  A chair was then placed 5 feet from each camera, facing the camera.  The experimenter would enter the clearing, sit in a chair, and remain seated for 30 minutes.  He would then rise and leave the clearing, wait 10 minutes, and repeat the procedure.

Results

Phonera mutabilis was not observed at the site of the experiment.  Both sets of VHS recordings were thoroughly examined and showed no trace of the creature.  The substantive results of this study, however, are associated with the subsequent attempts to publish the study.

The manuscript was originally mailed to Annals of Field Zoology, in January of 1---.  In a letter received from the editor of the Annals, all the customary revision requests were made, followed by the cryptic statement:

"In the future, please submit only one version of the manuscript."

Perplexed by this statement, the authors phoned the editor of the Annals, and discovered that a similar article, by the same authors, had arrived in the mail on the same day as the present article.  The editor also informed me that a similar call had come earlier that day, inquiring about the double submission.

Conclusion

That this study has failed to prove conclusively the existence of Phonera mutabilis cannot be denied, though it strongly suggests the possibility of such an organism.  A follow-up experiment is required for more conclusive proof.  Such an experiment might take the following form: The VHS tape from the experiment would be left in a public place for a given length of time, marked with a special light-sensitive pigment to identify it.  The experimenter would then return to the location, and would find another video tape in the same spot.  This would be the video tape from the research group formed by Phonera mutabilis.  There would, however be some difficulties associated with the experiment.  Foremost would be determining which video tape would be the authors' original, and which that of P. mutabilis.  Assuming their mimicry skills to be highly developed, such a tape would be identical in all ways to the original.  A further complication has also been suggested by an associate, being that P. mutabilis's mimicry might not be merely reactive, but that they may intuitively mimic the future actions of the researchers by taking the original tape and leaving their copy in its place.  Such a copy might then be mistaken for the original and, if perfect enough, might leave the researchers no way of knowing whether it was the original, or had been replaced.