598 



TJic Anuricaii Ainr/cr. 



The reason that this species is not ex- 

 hibited in traveling- shows of the North 

 is that the animal cannot stand the 

 northern climate — in addition to which 

 the selection of food is a difficult mat- 

 ter. It has lately been discovered that 

 the manatee is quite partial to common 

 larvse grass of the North, and it is ex- 

 pected that the sea-cow will occasion- 

 ally make Summer excursions to the 

 northern United vStates outside of large 

 city museimis. 



One which was captured in Florida 

 last April was taken to vSt. Augustine, 

 far north of its usual habitat, and placed 

 in a tank and carefully tended in the 

 museum of Dr. J. Vedders. He quickly 

 learned that the animal preferred green 

 cabbages to all the food offered it. 

 This constituted the fare while in cap- 

 tivity, and the quantity of cabbages 

 consumed in comparison to the size of 

 the animal was really very small. Just 

 at the time when the tourist season be- 

 gan the manatee sickened and died, 

 leaving its owner in the hole, so to 

 speak, for the vegetables from April to 

 December and no returns. This speci- 

 men was over nine feet long and 

 weighed about six hundred pounds. 



My friend, Capt. John Baird, who 

 sails the length of Florida and around 

 to Honduras, informs me that he fre- 

 quently met with manatees from Yuca- 

 tan southward, and that they grow to a 

 length of fifteen feet and quite 2,000 

 pounds in weight. The flesh is said to 

 be excellent, much like beef, coarse, 

 yet very tender. Unlike the whale, 

 which floats when dead, the manatee 

 sinks when killed, and is frequently lost 

 when struck. It is a harmless creature, 



never taking the aggressive, and feeding 

 wholly on vegetable growth. 



It bears one young at a time, which 

 is nourished from mammal on the 

 breast as in the monkey and bat tribes. 

 Stories regarding the delusive mer- 

 maids are said to often take their rise 

 from ignorant and superstitious persons 

 only half observing this creature and 

 drawing conclusions without founda- 

 tions. G. 



On and after January 1, 1897, the Ameri- 

 can Angler will be exclusively devoted to 

 angling and its cognate themes, and the 

 subscription price will be reduced to ONE 

 DOLLAR. 



NEST-BUILDING FISHES. 



It is generally supposed that fishes 

 take no care whatever of their young, 

 leaving them entirely to the attention 

 of nature ; but the fact is much other- 

 wise with many species. The most re- 

 markable point, however, regarding- 

 certain fishes is, that the males do the 

 care-taking and not the females. 



If you will go out any time during 

 the month of August, in this latitude, 

 you will see in streams and ponds big- 

 catfish of the common sort, each one 

 accompanied by a swarm of small fry. 

 In each case the old one is a male, and 

 he is engaged in taking care of his off- 

 spring. If an intruder comes near he 

 will dash at him and drive him away. 



It has been known for a long while 

 that catfishes had this way of guarding 

 their young ; but only lately has it 

 been ascertained that it was the papa 

 fish that did the care-taking. 



Some time back there was a pair of 

 catfish in one of the aquaria at the 

 building of the Fish Commission, in 

 Washington. At spawning time eggs 

 were laid, and one of the parents kept 

 watch over them, not permitting the 

 other to come near. The young were 

 duly hatched and thrived, being cared 

 for in this way imtil they were big 

 enough to look out for themselves. 



In their native ponds and brooks yoii 



