96 STRENIA.—UNGULATA. 
is “ Vacca de Agua,” or Water-Cow. They further remark that the Manatee is doubt- 
less still found all along the shores of British Honduras; but as the creeks and rivers of 
that country have long been frequented by the mahogany-cutters, its numbers are 
greatly reduced. About the mouths of the New River and of the Rio Hondo, north of 
Belize, they have recent information that it is still far from uncommon. 
As already observed, Manatees have been brought alive to Europe of late years, and 
in some cases have lived in excellent health in confinement. An unsuccessful attempt 
of the Zoological Society, in 1866, nevertheless produced the material for the first of 
Dr. Murie’s excellent memoirs referred to above. In 1865 the Society succeeded in 
obtaining a living specimen, which, however, was only a month at the Gardens before 
it passed into the hands of the then Prosector—the lamented Professor Garrod. In 
June 1878 a second live Manatee was exhibited at the Westminster Aquarium, where 
it lived till March 1879; and after its death it also came under Dr. Murie’s scalpel. 
Two purchased by the Brighton Aquarium are still, I believe, in good health. 
Our illustration is from a careful drawing which Mr. Wolf made of the Westminster 
specimen for the editors of this work, and well represents the curious position which 
that animal habitually assumed when at rest. Dr. H.C. Chapman describes a Manatee, 
which lived for some time in the Zoological Gardens at Philadelphia, as “ resting by 
the tip of his tail on the floor of the aquarium, his head downward, and with his back 
much arched” *; but Professor Flower tells me that he is assured that the individuals 
now at Brighton never place themselves in such an attitude under any circumstances. 
Further observations on living Manatees would be interesting; but there appears to be 
no doubt that some perfectly healthy and normal animals are in the constant habit of 
resti g in shallow water on the dorsal surface of the bent-forward tail in the manner 
here represented f. 
Order VI. UNGULATA. 
Suborder I. PERISSODACTYLA. 
_ Of the three recent families which represent the once dominant group of Odd-toed. 
Ungulates, one only, the Tapiride, is now indigenous to the New World. According to 
the views here adopted, the family now consists of a single genus, which presents the 
remarkable peculiarity of being found only in two such widely separated countries as 
South America and South-eastern Asia. In geological times, however, both true 
Tapirs and allied forms were abundant throughout the Palearctic and Nearctic 
* Proc. Acad. Philad. 1875, p. 461. 
Y Other positions of the Westminster Manatee will be found figured in Dr. Murie’s second memoir in the 
‘ Transactions of the Zoological Society,’ now passing through the press, 
