302 THE DUGONG. 



portion. The nostrils are situated on the summit 

 of the upper jaw, where it makes its curvature 

 downwards ; they penetrate obliquely in such a 

 manner, that the upper semilunar edge, pressing 

 upon the lower surface 1 , forms a perfect valve, which 

 may be shut at the will of the animal. The eyes 

 are small, and supplied with a third eye-lid. The 

 aperture of the ear is so minute, that it can only 

 with difficulty be perceived. The paws offer no 

 appearance of nails, but are somewhat verrucose or 

 warty on their anterior margin ; they are thick and 

 fleshy, and neither from their form or size capable 

 of supporting or assisting the animal out of the wa- 

 ter ; the tail is broad and crescent-shaped. 



The skin is three quarters of an inch thick, and 

 yields no oil. The skull is remarkable for the pe- 

 culiar manner in which the anterior part of the 

 upper jaw is bent downwards, almost at a right 

 angle, so as to form a kind of beak. The lower jaw 

 is truncated in such a way, as to correspond and be- 

 come parallel with the elongated portion of the 

 upper jaw. The vertebres are fifty-two in number, 

 seven to the neck, eighteen to the back, and twenty- 

 seven to the tail; ribs eighteen pair. The greatest 

 peculiarity of this animal is, that the ventricles of 

 the heart are widely detached from each other, being 

 connected at their base only. Another singular 

 circumstance is, that the inside of their cheeks is 

 studded with strong projecting bristles. 



The food of the Dugong appears to consist ex- 

 clusively of the fuci and aigae, which it finds at the 



