THE NORTHERN SEA-COW 1 59 



they came up every few minutes to breathe the 

 rhytina raised the greater part of their bodies above 

 the water, as has also been recorded of the dugong. 

 One sees in this frequent respiration (which reminds 

 one of the repeated blowings of the river-haunting 

 hippopotamus) another indication of the unfitness 

 of the rhytina for the open ocean. 



The sea-cows, when feeding, used to collect all the 

 younger animals in the centre of the herd, surround- 

 ing them with a friendly cordon ; family groups 

 could also be observed, all feeding together as they 

 harvested the fucus with prehensile lips. They 

 showed a remarkable preference for the soft, leafy 

 portions of the weed and rejected the harder roots ; 

 they preferred, especially, four species of weed, which 

 modern observers have supposed to be various forms 

 of ThalassiophylltLin, Duinontia, &c. Owing to 

 their great heavy bodies and small flippers they 

 were unable to leave the water, being compelled to 

 retreat with the tide for fear of being stranded — a 

 fate which actually overtook some luckless individuals 

 found by Behring's men. Rhytina were also liable 

 to be suffocated in winter by floating ice, their bodies 

 being cast up on the shore. 



Occupied in the more profitable chase of the sea 

 otter,^ the shipwrecked crew did not begin to attack 

 the rhytina till within a few weeks of their departure. 



1 Behriiif,''s party took lietween 800 and 900 liead of ottei* during their 

 .stay of ten months. 



