Erik Pontoppidan was a Danish author, bishop and antiquary. Aside from authoring several works on theology, he also wrote about the history and antiquities of Denmark and Norway.

This is an English translation of his Natural History of Norway, first published in Danish in 1752. In addition to describing the history, landscape, flora and fauna of the country, Pontoppidan also remarked on the existence of sea monsters, such as the Kraken, sea serpents and mermaids. Using accounts from several eyewitnesses, he argued that such creatures did exist and gave extensive descriptions of their appearances.