"THE SQUONK"

The Squonk (Lacrimacorpus dissolvens) is a folkloric creature & Fearsome Critter reputed to live in the Hemlock forest of northern Pennsylvania. Legends of Squonks originated in the late nineteenth century, at the height of Pennsylvania's importance in the timber & hunting industry.

The earliest known written account of Squonks comes from a book by William T. Cox called Fearsome Creatures of the Lumberwoods, With a Few Desert and Mountain Beasts.

The legend holds that the creature's skin is ill-fitting, covered with warts and that, because it is ashamed of its appearance, it hides from plain sight, and spends most of its time weeping. Hunters who have tried catching squonks have found out that the creature is capable of dissolving completely into a pool of tears and bubbles when cornered. A man named J. P. Wentling is supposed to have coaxed the creature into a bag, which when he carried it home suddenly lightened. Upon further inspection, he found that all that remained was the liquid remains of the sad animal.

The Squonk gets a brief mention in the song Any Major Dude Will Tell You by the band Steely Dan.
The progressive rock band Genesis also paid tribute to the Squonk in a song all about the creature’s sad life, simply titled Squonk.