ANIMAL KINGDOM. ^ 



HERBIVOROUS CETACEA. 



THE Herbivorous Cetacea consist of Manatees and 



Dugongs. 

 The Manatee, which is found principally on the shores 



washed by the Atlantic Ocean, is covered with a very 



tough hide ; the flesh underneath is said to be very good 

 eating, and when dried and salted remains sweet for a 

 year. The muzzle of the Manatee is round, and the nostrils 

 are placed in the front, not at the top of the head as in 

 whales ; the tail, too, is thick and fleshy, whilst in the 

 Dugong it is forked ; the skull of the Dugong differs also 

 from that of the Manatee, the upper jaw being bent down- 

 wards and terminated by two tusk-like teeth, which enable 

 the animal to tear up and gather the marine vegetation 

 on which it feeds. 



These animals have the curious habit of swimming and 

 gambolling with their heads and necks out of the water, 

 and their tails turned up into the air ; when the female 

 is nursing, she carries her child under her one arm, keep- 

 ing her head and that of the little one above water whilst 

 she paddles with her other limb. They seem most affec- 

 tionate creatures, and if one of a pair be captured, 

 the other is easily taken, as it would suffer itself to be 

 killed, rather than leave the dead body of its late partner. 

 These strange habits have no doubt formed the foundation 

 for the fables of ancient times, of sirens, mermaids, &c. 

 The name of the Manatee is derived from manus, a hand, 

 because the animal is furnished with limbs which can 

 be moved round like our hands ; the Dugong is called 

 " Halicore," meaning the Sea-Maiden. 



Having thus separated such of the Mammalia as ex^t 

 under conditions different from all the rest namely (i) 

 those whose young, although born alive, are but imperfectly 



