THE MANATEE. 



(May 4, 1889.) 



A NOTABLE addition lias lately been made to the 

 Zoological Society's menagerie in the shape of a 

 young manatee (Manatus australis) from Demerara. 

 The little beast is a comparative baby, being, as is 

 supposed, only about twelve months old, and is 

 about 3 feet 6 inches long. It appears to be in 

 excellent health, and has, we believe, increased 

 considerably in bulk since its arrival in the 

 Gardens in March. Its present habitation is one 

 of the large glass tanks in the Eeptile House ; an 

 excellent place so far as the animal itself is 

 concerned, but one which is apparently the cause of 

 a great deal of mystification to many of the visitors, 

 who imagine that, as it is in that house, it must be 

 a reptile, and look upon it as a species of sea- 

 serpent. So far as we are aware, only two specimens 

 of the manatee have been exhibited alive in London, 

 at all events in recent years, until the arrival 

 of the one now in the Regent's Park. The first of 

 these was obtained by the Zoological Society about 

 fourteen years ago. It was, we believe, full grown, 

 and lived for a short time in one of the tanks in 

 the Gardens. The other belonged to Mr. Farini, 

 and was exhibited by him at the Westminster 



