608 THE VOYAGE OF THE VEGA. [ctiAr. 



agreed completely, and appeared to have claims to be regarded as 

 trustworthy. That the animal which they saw was actually a 

 sea-cow, is clearly proved both by the description of the animal's 

 form and way of pasturing in the water, and by the account 

 of the way in which it breathed, its colour, and leanness. In 

 Ausfurliche Bcsclireibung von sonderharen Mecrthiercn, Steller 

 says, p. 97, " While they pasture, they raise every fourth or fifth 

 minute their nose from the water in order to blow out air and 

 a little water ; " p, 98, " During winter they are so lean that 

 it is possible to count their vertebrae and ribs ; " and p. 54, 

 " Some sea-cows have pretty large white sjDots and streaks, 

 so that they have a spotted appearance." As these native* 

 had no knowledge of Steller's description of the animal, it 

 is impossible that their statement can be false. The death- 

 year of the Hhytina race, must therefore be altered at least 

 to 1854. With reference to this point it may be remarked 

 that many circumstances indicate that the E-hytina herds were 

 rather driven away from the rich pastures on Behring Island 

 than exterminated there, and that the species became extinct 

 because in their new haunt they were unable to maintain the 

 struggle for existence. The form of the sea-cow, varying from 

 that of most recent animals, besides indicates that, like the long- 

 tailed duck on Iceland, the dront on Mauritius, and the large 

 ostrich-like birds on New Zealand, it was the last representative 

 of an animal group destined to extinction. 



Mr. OscHE, one of the Alaska Company's skin inspectors, a 

 native of Liffland and at present settled on Copper Island, in- 

 formed me that the bones of the sea-cow also occurred on the 

 western side of that island. On the other hand, such bones 

 are said not to be found on the small island described farther on 

 lying off the colony on Behring Island, although Rhytina bones 

 are common on the neighbouring shores of the main island. 



This is the scanty information I have been able to collect 

 .from the natives and others resident in the quarter regarding 

 the animal in question. On the other hand, my endeavours to 

 procure Rhytina bones were crowned with greater success, and 

 I succeeded in actually bringing together a very large and fine 

 collection of skeleton fragments. , 



When I first made the acquaintance of Europeans on the 

 island, they told me that there was little probability of finding 

 anything of value in this respect ; for the company had offered 

 150 roubles for a skeleton without success. But before I had 

 been many hours on land, I came to know that large or small 

 collections of bones were to be found here and there in the huts 

 of the natives. These I purchased, intentionally paying for them 

 such a price that the seller was more than satisfied and his neigh- 

 bours were a little envious. A great part of the male population 



