THE MANATEES: ABUNDANCE. 123 



graminivora, but tlit> attack must be made, one may say, in person, subject to nil the dangers 

 attendant upon an encounter with those weapons which a long course of selection has developed 

 in the prey. Man ensnares alike the lion and the deer by the devices of his brain, with little or no 

 danger to himself. Notwithstanding, the fleetest animals oftentimes escape him and the strongest 

 intimidate him; but such drowsy beasts as the Sirenians fall helpless victims to his strategy. The 

 past century witnessed the extinction of one of these animals, the Rhytina, through no other 

 apparent agent than man. The inquiry intrudes itself, Will the Manatees succumb to the same 

 fate which overtook their huge relative? 



It is undoubtedly a fact that the American Manatees are much less abundant in many regions 

 than they were at the time of the discovery of America. They have withdrawn before the advance 

 of civilization into the more inaccessible places out of the reach of man. 



In regard to the Floridan Manatee, the statement of Harlan (who obtained it from Dr. Burrows), 

 made so lace as 1825, namely, that an Indian could readily obtain a dozen in a year, 1 is now doubt- 

 fully true. The statements of Mr. Stearns, given in the early part of this essay, show that it has 

 disappeared from some localities in Florida within a comparatively recent period. Nevertheless, 

 the Florida Manatee cannot yet be considered as threatened with extinction, and in Southwestern 

 Florida, if we may believe Mr. Maynard, is still abundant. Specimens are received from time to 

 time for our museums and zoological gardens, and to satisfy the curiosity of the gaping crowds at 

 the circus. The prices obtained for specimens of both American Manatees in this country and in 

 England show, however, that they are not to be obtained without difficulty. 2 



Gundlach refers to the abundance of the Manatee in Cuba in the following terms: " In former 

 times very abundant; at present much reduced in numbers, but not rare though difficult to capture." 3 



According to Dr. Von Frantzius, the South American Manatee was abundant along the western 

 shores of the Gulf of Mexico, especially in Costa Rica. "They are still very common," he says, 

 "along the Atlantic coast, where they find abundant nourishment in the numerous lagoons (Hajf- 

 bildituf/en), and likewise the needed protection ; they pass into the rivers and are found abundantly 

 in San Ju.in and neighboring streams, the Rio Colorado, Sarapiqui, and San Carlos. Apparently 

 they are prevented from going tar into the San Carlos on account of the rapids which occur near 

 its mouth, and hence are not found in the Rio Frio nor in Lake Nicaragua itself." 4 



ABUNDANCE OF THE SOUTH AMERICAN MANATEE. In relation to the present abundance 

 Of Manatees in South America, it is perhaps unnecessary for me to enter into details here. 

 Brandt, has reviewed the subject at length quite recently, giving many particulars. 5 His investi- 

 gations show that in many regions, particularly about the mouths of rivers and in other places 

 where sufficient shelter is wanting, the Sea-cows are disappearing or have become entirely extinct. 

 In the upper waters of the rivers, however, where the native Indians are few and civilization has 

 not reached, little diminution is probable. 



PROBABILITY OF EXTINCTION. Putting all the facts together, it seems evident that not many 

 centuries will pass before Manatees will be extremely rare, especially in our own country. More 

 specimens should be accumulated in our museums, both of the entire animal and of its bones, and 

 its wanton destruction should cease. 



MODES OF CAPTURE. The methods of capturing Manatees are numerous. In Florida, Mr. 

 Goode informs me, strong rope nets, with large mesh, are oiten employed. The details of this 



'HARLAN: Fauna Ami-rii-ana, 1 '"-'">, ]>. ^77. 



"Trans. Zoological Society London, xi, l**(l. |>. >}. Edwards' Guide to Florida, 1875, p. 69. 

 : '<irxi>L\(.:ii: I!i-vista y Cat.dc- In* Mainil'rrns i-nliaiio*. KYpiTl. FiMro-nat. dr Culm, ii. no. 'J. 18fiC, p. 56. 

 Vox FKANT/.IUS: Siiii^olLii-ir Costa Kic-as. Arrliiv I'iir Natnrgeschichte, xxxv, i, WGti (if), pp. 304-^07. 

 : Symbols .Siiviiolo^ica.', I'asi'. iii. Irtnl-'ti.-*, p. a,".:t. 



