NATURAL SCIENCES OF PHILADELPHIA. 461 



that the sudden change in the temperature of the water caused the 

 illness of both the Manatees. The health of the smallest had never 

 been as good as that of the largest and oldest ; the cuticle peeling 

 off; it not feeding well; often troubled with constipation, Avhich 

 was relieved by giving the animal the valesneria from the bottom of 

 the tank, with the mud and pebbles adhering to it, etc. From the 

 way in which it followed the largest one, getting under it as if to 

 suckle, it seemed as if it had been captured too young. Apparently 

 the largest Manatee had recovered from the illness which had 

 killed the smallest, and seemed to be doing well, except in that 

 its eyes were a little inflamed, which symptom was attended to, 

 and it was hoped that it would live, but on the morning of October 

 15th it was found dead. The post-mortem showed that the heart 

 had been affected in the same manner as the first one, and that the 

 pleura and peritoneum and spinal marrow also exhibited signs of 

 inflammation. Whether the largest Manatee had lived through 

 the first attack on account of its comparatively good condition, 

 and died from a more recent one, I cannot say positively, but the 

 temperature of the water had been kept uniform since the smallest 

 one had died. From the manner in which the Manatees grubbed 

 about the bottom of the tank, nosing about like a pig, the extensi- 

 bility of the snout being much greater than one would suppose, I am 

 inclined to think that if a marine aquarium was built exactly suited 

 to their habits, they would only be seen when rising to the surface 

 to breathe, evidently liking the muddy better than the clear water. 

 When not in motion the Manatee rested by the tip of his tail upon 

 the floor of the aquarium, his head downward, and with the back 

 much arched. At intervals of about one minute to one and a quar- 

 ter he rose to breathe, and at that time the valves of the nose 

 might be seen to open and shut again as the animal slowly sunk. 

 One can readily understand, after seeing the lungs inflated, how 

 easy it is for the animal to maintain its almost motionless position 

 at variable depths of the water, the lungs acting very much like 

 the air-bladder of fishes, and looking indeed more like the lungs 

 of Lepidosteus than those of a Mammal. The Manatee will eat 

 freely of cabbage, spinach, kale, baked apples, celery tops, etc. 

 When feeding, the curious fanning motion of the bristles on the 

 lips can be well seen. The Manatee seems to be more like a gentle, 

 harmless, stupid sort of water-pig than anything else, with the 



