THE SEA-COWS 399 



in the centre of a school when dangerous enemies are 

 near. 



In the regions where the Manatee abounds it affords 

 excellent food, having somewhat the taste of coarse pork ; 

 Humboldt declared it was equal to the best of ham. South 

 American monks prefer to view the animal as a fish, as 

 they do the whale family, and thus the Manatee provides 

 sumptuous fleshy fare for the season of Lent. 



Mr. Bates, who captured a Manatee in a canoe voyage 

 on the Amazon, does not praise the flavour of its flesh as 

 some other travellers have done. 'The meat was cut up 

 into cubical slabs, and each person skewered a dozen or 

 so of these on a long stick. Fires were made, and the 

 spits stuck in the ground, and slanted over the flames to 

 roast. The meat has somewhat the taste of coarse pork ; 

 but the fat, which lies in thick layers between the lean 

 parts, is of a greenish colour, and of a disagreeable fishy 

 flavour.' 



DUGONG (Halicore dugong). 

 Coloured Plate XXX. Fig. 2. 



The Dugong is a native of eastern waters, various species 

 being met with in the Red Sea and as far east as Australia. 

 The best known is the one illustrated, which differs from 

 the manatee chiefly in the variation of its tail, which takes 

 the form of a crescent-shaped flapper. The creature is 

 sometimes regarded as a veritable cow of the 'sea pas- 

 tures ' ; and certain it is that along the coast of Queensland, 

 especially in river estuaries, it may be seen snatching 

 tussocks of long grass at the edge of the water, when it 

 comes up to breathe. This is the fullest extent of its 

 grazing propensities ; it never leaves the water in search 

 of vegetable food. The Dugong more often than not 

 exceeds the manatee in size, and the male is furnished 

 with two large tusk-like teeth, which are never found in 

 a manatee of either sex. Its flesh when roasted is said 

 to taste like pork and veal combined, and the Mahome- 



