158 NATURAL HISTORY ESSAYS 



the shape of sea-lions and sea-bears : during the 

 latter part of their stay Behring's men had further 

 provender in the swarming sea-cows, which pastured 

 in the sheltered bays and estuaries of the island. 

 The dull-witted, dun-coloured rhytina fed along the 

 shore in immense numbers — the marine herds of 

 Father Neptune. 



The sea round Behring Island is supposed to be 

 to this day one of the richest localities for sea-weeds 

 in the world, producing veritable marine forests 20 

 or 30 metres high. Ruprecht. in his work on North 

 Pacific sea-weeds, records no less than eight species 

 of laminaria alone. In Behring's day the rhytina 

 browsed thickly upon this abundant sea-tangle, like 

 land cows in a meadow. It has been supposed that 

 the roughened surface of the flippers enabled the 

 beasts to retain a better hold of the sea- weed : and 

 since they were said to be unable to dive they were 

 obviously fitted for life in shallow water rather than 

 in the open ocean. Probably like the existing 

 dugong of the Tropics, these herds of sea-cow 

 resembled collections of floating logs : for they were 

 clothed in a bark-like epidermis an inch thick out- 

 side the true skin. This epidermis was even smooth 

 on section, like wood. The thick hide, by retaining 

 the body heat, doubtless prevented the rhytina from 

 perishing of cold in the icy waters of Behring Sea. 

 Under the hide again was a stout coat of blubber, 

 white in life, yellow on exposure to the sun. When 



