— it being what might be called double, and having a sort of 

 horny substance like a sausage, composed of little cells, 

 which probably was intended to aid digestion. The only 

 other animal in which this horny substance was found, was 

 in the hyrax or coney of Scripture, but in other respects 

 such as dentition, &c., it was very like the hippopotamus, 

 as well as the class of animals of which he was speaking. 

 Dr. Murie then showed from the skulls of the seal, lion, 

 and hippopotamus, that the manatee belonged to this tribe 

 of animals — the explanations being illustrated by ex- 

 cellent specimens obtained from the Museum. The 

 manatee was supposed by many to be a kind 

 of seal ; and Tom Hood had written a series 

 of funny verses on one poor animal which was obtained by 

 the Zoological Gardens at great trouble and expense. These 

 verses were read by the lecturer, and were much appre- 

 ciated, as was also some particulars regarding the feeding 

 of this creature with milk from a bottle, by the keeper sent 

 out to bring him home to England. The fourth class of 

 the order, the halitherum, was an old fossU mermaid, now 

 extinct, which was found in Central Europe, and besides 

 possessing many features in common with the other 

 classes had the rudiment of a hind limb, thereby 

 showing its affinity to the class of hippopotami. 

 If the question were asked an ordinary observer - What 

 class of animals does the manatee belong to ?— there is a 

 great chance of the reply being - a kind of seal ; and, in- 

 deed, in so far as mere rough external appearance goes, it 

 is as like some seals as anything else. Nevertheless, the 

 manatee belongs to a small group of aquatic mammalia 

 bearing close relation to whales, although ditfering in seve- 

 ral essential particulars from them, and, on the other hand, 

 rather approaching elephants in general organization. 

 As to seals, these amphibious carnivora can be confounded 

 with the manatee tribe only by an outward approach in 

 form, and the fact that much of their lives is spent in a 

 watery element. Like the manatee their body is elongated, 

 round, fat, and tapering posteriorly. There is a want of 

 external ears, and the nostrils are valvular. Their fore 



