THE INILABITANTS OF THE SEA. 
Ske.eton of the Dugong. 
Martius says he never tasted bet- 
ter meat in the Brazils. The 
South American monks, who have 
their own ideas on the classifica- 
tion of animals, consider it as 
fish, and fare sumptuously upon it 
during Lent. Besides its flesh, 
oie single animal gives as much 
as 4000 bottles of oil, which is 
used both in cookery and for 
lighting. The thick hide is cut 
into stripes, from which straps or 
whips are made, to flog the un- 
fortunate negroes. Useful in 
many respects, defenceless and 
easy to kill, particularly during 
the time of the inundations, when 
it ascends the great rivers, the ma- 
natee or sea-cow has been nearly 
extirpated in many parts where it 
formerly abounded, a fate which 
it partakes with the East Indian 
dugong. These animals might 
easily be enclosed and tamed, in 
the lagoons and bays of the tro- 
pical streams; but it is to be feared 
that they will have vanished from 
the face of the earth before the 
industry of man endeavours to 
introduce them, as it were, among 
the domestic animals. 
The Seal family forms a still 
nearer approach to the land 
quadrupeds, as here hind feet 
begin to make their appearance. 
The shortness of these extremities 
renders their movements upon 
land generally awkward and slow, 
but they make up for this de- 
ficiency by an uncommon activity 
in the water. Their body, taper- 
