TERTIARY SI REN I A NS 1163 



c^ 



the animal left by Waxell, the navigator of Behring's party, represents it, however, 

 as being marked with alternate dark and light transverse stripes. The skeleton here- 

 with figured measures nineteen and one-half feet in length, which would indicate a 

 length of about twenty feet in the living state; but Steller states that the animal 

 sometimes attained a length of from twenty-five to thirty feet. The girth of the 

 body was nineteen or twenty feet, and the estimated weight eight thousand pounds. 

 With the exception of a single rib from Altu, no remains of the 



northern sea-cow have been obtained elsewhere than on Barren and 

 and Habits 



Copper islands. It is, however, almost impossible to believe that 



such a large animal could always have had such a restricted distribution, and it is 

 hence probable that, when discovered, this Sirenian was already on the wane, and 

 that the Commander islands were its last resorts from a more extended distribution. 

 Not the least remarkable circumstance connected with this animal is that, although 

 closely allied to the typical dugong, it should have inhabited such a cold and north- 

 erly region. 



At the time of its discovery by Behring's party, the northern sea-cow was 

 abundant in the bays and river mouths of the Commander islands, where it lived in 

 herds of considerable size. It fed chiefly on seaweeds, and more especially on the 

 tangle which grows so abundantly in the northern seas. It was described as a 

 stupid, sluggish, and comparatively-helpless animal, which was unable to dive, and 

 was not uufrequently washed ashore by the waves. From its inability to dive, it 

 was compelled to obtain its food in shallow water; and from being often unable to 

 approach the shore during the storms of winter, the animal was generally in poor 

 condition by spring. 



Within nine years of its discovery, the northern sea-cow was ex- 

 '" terminated on Copper island; while on Behring island it had become 

 very scarce by 1763, and the last of its race appears to have been killed in the year 

 1767 or 1768. It was long thought that the creature was practically exterminated 

 by Behring's party during their sojourn of ten months on the island named after 

 their leader. This, however was not the case, as they killed but very few. Soon 

 after the return of Behring's crew to Kamchatka several expeditions were fitted out 

 for the purpose of wintering on the Commander islands and hunting fur-bearing 

 animals; the sea-cows offering the inducement of an abundant supply of fresh food. 

 Ships sailing to Alaska were also in the habit of touching at these islands to take in 

 a supply of salted sea-cow meat. With such stupid and helpless habits as charac- 

 terized the animal, it is no wonder that its complete extirpation was soon accom- 

 plished. Generally, the sea-cow was harpooned from a boat, but, by approaching 

 stealthily, hunters were also enabled to kill them with lances as they lay asleep near 

 the shore. 



TERTIARY SIRENIANS 



Throughout a large portion of the Tertiary period various species of extinct 

 Sirenians were common in Europe, and they have also been sparingly met with in 

 England. The best known of these was the halithere (Halitherium) , which forms 



