The Manatee. 13 



taken with the harpoon, and were said to " yield 

 the sporter no small diversion ; for, after having a 

 dart or harpoon struck into their side, with a long 

 line and buoy fastened to it, they hold some time in 

 play/ ' and "many times they upset the boat in 

 struggling." However this may be, the animal is 

 now, as we have said, in excellent health, and is 

 blest with a vigorous appetite, to satisfy which a 

 large supply of lettuce and beetroot is required. 

 It is particularly fond of the leaves of the former 

 plant, which it devours greedily, and with which it 

 is constantly supplied by its keeper. It is quiet 

 and docile, not to say phlegmatic a character said 

 to be possessed in a notable degree by all its kind 

 and seems quite at home and comfortable in its 

 tank, showing not the slightest sign of fear of the 

 crowd of persons continually gathered in front of 

 it. In the morning, when the water in the tank 

 is drawn off, the keeper sponges it all over a 

 proceeding which it thoroughly appreciates. It 

 cannot, however, be kept long out of water, as 

 being perfectly helpless, it is liable to injure itself 

 in its awkward movements. Its tank is furnished 

 with a sloping log to enable it, should it so desire, 

 to rest its head out of water ; but we believe that 

 it never makes any use of this contrivance, though 

 it is hard to conceive that it can obtain all the 

 sleep necessary to it in snatches of two and a half 

 minutes. Yet this is apparently the limit of its 

 .stay under water. It is amusing to watch the 

 methodical manner in which the animal retires to 



