CETACEA. 261 



These Southern Whales are fond of placing themselves in a per- 

 pendicular position, for the purpose of surveying more easily the 

 expanse of waters ; at a distance, resembling large black rocks 

 in the midst of the ocean. Fossil Rorquals have been found in 

 Britain and other parts of Europe. 



IV. HERBIVOROUS CETACEA, or AQUATIC PACHYDERMS. 



This family of the Cetacea have teeth with flattened surfaces, 

 and adapted to the herbivorous nature of their food ; the skin is 

 thick, and more or less horny; the stomach divided into four 

 cavities. They have stiff moustaches on their lips, and pectoral 

 mammae, peculiarities which, when their bodies are partly 

 raised out of the water, give them a somewhat human look, and 

 probably are connected with the fanciful stories which have been 

 often told about "Mermaids." They are frequently called "Sea 

 Cows, Sea Calves/' etc. The favorite haunts of these animals, 

 are the mouths of rivers or straits, where the water is only three 

 or four fathoms deep. Here, where the sea-weeds grow luxu- 

 riantly, they feed in troops,, rising frequently to the surface, in 

 order to take breath. This group includes three genera, and 

 about twice as many species. 



Manatus or Lamanline. The MANATEE, or SEA Cow. (Plate 

 VIII. fig. 2.) 



The animals of this genus, are confined to three or four spe- 

 cies, having oblong bodies, which are from ten to fifteen, and 

 sometimes twenty feet long; long, rounded tails, and eight grind- 

 ers in each jaw. They are gregarious, and strongly attached to 

 each other, as well as their young, which the female defends, 

 regardless of her own danger. Their flesh resembles fatted 

 pork, and when salted, makes excellent sea-store. They are 

 much sought after, being captured with a harpoon attached to a 

 stout cord. The skin is of a blackish color, very tough and 

 hard, full of inequalities, and sprinkled with a few bristly hairs 

 about an inch in length. The Manatus Americanus is found at 

 the rnouth of the Amazon, Oronoco, and other rivers of South 

 America, and one species is still hunted among the lagoons and 

 keys of Florida. Its exhibits rudimentary nails upon its nippers, 

 and by their aid, sometimes drags its unwieldy body on shore to 

 bask in the sun, or seek for herbage growing on apd near the 

 banks. 



Halicore Dugong. 



This genus is similar to the preceding one ; has one species, 

 (Dugong,) and is found in the waters of the East Indies, and 



