limbs have a paddle form, and their hind limbs are webbed 

 together in such a manner as to appear as if one large 

 candal fin. But these resemblances are deceptive, for the 

 seal has distinctly four well-developed limbs besides a tail, 

 its body is covered with abundance of fur, the eyes are large, 

 and the teeth are akin to those of the dog tribe ; which 

 characters in themselves, without further details, are enough 

 to separate a seal from a manatee by the most casual observer. 

 Having spoken thus, it would seem that the manatee and 

 its immediate confreres have some sort of resemblance to 

 seals, to elephants, and to whales, besides the historical 

 half human, hnlf fish like character accorded them. How- 

 ever, instead of entering into too long and learned an ac- 

 count of the comparative anatomy of these creatures, it 

 appears quite enough for the present purpose to have 

 sketched out the main distinctions which every one may be 

 expected to know something of. 



So far then as mermaids are concerned, the mere fancied 

 resemblance to the human form through animals of the 

 manatee tribe half raising themselves out of the water, and 

 disporting themselves, at the same time displaying a 

 rounded head, or suckling their young at their breasts, was 

 easily dispelled by an examination of the various likenesses 

 of these animals which hung round the lecture room, and 

 which were described with much minuteness by Dr. 

 Murie. As to mermaids, pure and simple, they might bo 

 said all to come from one workshop, and that was Japan. 

 Captain Cuming, R.N., son of Mr. Gumming, of Braidwood- 

 terrace, Plymouth, has returned from Yokohama, bringing 

 with him a great variety of curiosities- from bronze buckles 

 to playbills— from a joss to Japanese jars four feet in 

 height -maps, plans, toys, puzzles, and some superb 

 bronzed vases - in fact, a regular curiosity shop. Amongst 

 them is a mermaid. The head is that of a small monkeys 

 with prominent teeth, a little thin wool on the 

 head and upper parts ; long, attenuated arms and 

 claws, below which the ribs show very dis- 

 tinctly ; beyond these latter the skin of a fish is so neatly 

 joined that it is hardly possible to detect where the joint is 



