THE LAM AN TIN. 15 



The neck is not distinguishable by any diminu- 

 tion or difference in size from the head and trunk, 

 and the latter does not diminish except from the 

 umbilicus, whence it rapidly decreases, until it 

 spreads out and becomes flattened, forming an ob- 

 long tail with a broad, thin, and seemingly trun- 

 cated extremity. The tail forms about a fourth of 

 the length of the animal. 



The arm bones which sustain the fins are more 

 separated from the body, than those of the Delphi- 

 nus, and have digits more distinguishable through 

 the integuments. The edges of this fin have four 

 flat and rounded nails, which do not extend beyond 

 the membrane, the nail of the thumb being defi- 

 cient. The skin is of a gray colour, is slightly 

 shagreened, and has upon it a few scattered hairs, 

 which are more numerous than elsewhere about the 

 angles of the lips, and the palmar surface of the 

 fins. 



The full grown lamantin is from fifteen to twen- 

 ty feet in length, by eight in circumference, and 

 weighs several thousand pounds. 



Du Tertke states that the sight of the lamantin 

 is very feeble, but this defect is compensated by 

 the extreme acuteness of its hearing. In these re- 

 spects it closely resembles the seal. After having 

 satisfied its hunger by feeding on the sea grass or 

 fucus, which constitute its principal nourishment, 

 it delights to sleep upon the marshy grounds in 



