XO. 5 MAMMALS OF PANAMA GOLDMAN 69 



who has spent several years near Bocas del Toro, informs me that 

 the animal is occasionally reported by native boatmen. The species 

 has probably become scarce here as in many other localities where it 

 was formerly common. I have no record of its occurrence on any 

 other part of the Panama coast. Dampier's general account of the 

 manatee as he observed it from the Bay of Campeche to the " River 

 of Darien " (Rio Atrato) is so interesting that it is quoted at length : 

 "While we lay here [coast of Nicaragua], our Moskito men 

 [Mosquito Indians] went in their Canoa. and struck us some Mana- 

 tee, or Sea-Cow. Besides this Blewftclds River, I have seen of the 

 Manatee in the Bay of Campeachy, on the Coasts of Bocca del Drago 

 [Panama], and Bocco del Toro [Panama], in the River of Darien, 



and among the South Keys or little Islands of Cuba This 



creature is about the bigness of a Horse, and lo or 12 foot long. The 

 mouth of it is much like the mouth of a Cow, having great thick Lips. 

 The Eyes are no bigger than a small Pea, the Ears are only two small 

 holes on each side of the Head. The Neck is short and thick, bigger 

 than the Head. The biggest part of this Creature is at the Shoulders, 

 where it hath two large Fins, one on each side of its Belly. Under 

 each of these Fins the Female hath a small Dug to suckle her young. 

 From the Shoulders towards the Tail it retains its bigness for about 

 a foot, then groweth smaller and smaller to the very Tail, which is 

 flat and about 14 inches broad, and 20 inches long, and in the middle 

 4 or 5 inches thick, but about the edges of it not above 2 inches thick. 

 From the Head to the Tail it is round and smooth without any Fin 

 but those two before mentioned. I have heard that some have 

 weighed about 1200 1. but I never saw any so large. The Manatee 

 delights to live in brackish water ; and they are commonly in Creeks 



and Rivers near the Sea Sometimes we find them in salt 



Water, sometimes in fresh ; but never far at Sea. And those that 

 live in the Sea at such places where there is no River nor Creek fit 

 for them to enter, yet do commonly come once or twice in 24 hours 

 to the mouth of any fresh water River that is near their place of 

 abode. They live on Grass 7 or 8 inches long, and of a narrow blade, 

 which grows in the sea in many places, especially among Islands near 

 the Main. This Grass groweth likewise in Creeks or in the great 

 Rivers, near the sides of them, in such places where there is but 

 little tide or current. They never come ashore, nor into shallower 

 water than where they can swim. Their flesh is white, both the fat 

 and the lean, and extraordinary sweet wholesome meat. The tail of 

 a young Cow is most esteemed ; but if old both head and tail are very 



