ANIMALS. .';99 



The manati has no voice nor cry, for the only noise it makes 

 IS by fetching its breath. Its internal parts somewhat resemble 

 those of a horse ; its intestines being longer, in proportion, than 

 those of any other creature, the horse only excepted. 



The fat of the manati, which lies under the skin, when exposed 

 to the sun, has a fine smell and taste, and far exceeds the fat ot 

 any sea animal ; it has this peculiar property, that the heat of the 

 sun will not spoil it, nor make it grow rancid ; its taste is like the 

 oil of sweet almonds ; and it will serve very well, in all cases, 

 instead of butter : any quantity may be taken inwardly with 

 iafety, for it has no other effect than keeping the body open. The 

 fat of the tail is of a harder consistence ; and, when boiled, is more 

 delicate than the former. The lean is like beef, but more red ; 

 and may be kept a long while, in the hottest days, without taint- 

 ing. It takes up a long time in boiling ; and, when done, eats 

 like beef. The fat of the young ones is like pork ; the lean is 

 like veal ; and, upon the whole, it is very probable that this ani- 

 mal's tlesh somewhat resembles that of turtle ; since they are fed 

 in the same element, and upon the very same food. The turtle 

 is a delicacy well known among us : our luxuries are not as yet 

 sufficiently heightened to introduce the manati ; which if it 

 could be brought over, might singly suffice for a whole corpora- 

 tion !* 



» To those amphibious quadrupeds may be added the Duck-billed platv. 

 PU3, or Oniithorynchus, described by Dr Shaw in his Naturalist's Miscol. 

 lany. The body is depressed, and has some resemblance to that of an otterin 

 miniature ; and is covered with a soft beaver.like fur : but its most striking 

 peculiarity is the strang^e sitiuition of its mouth or suout, exhibiting the 

 perfect resemblance of the beak of a duck engrafted on the head of a quad- 

 ruped ; and so accurate is the "Mnilitude, that at first view it naturally ex. 

 cites th<' idea of some deceptive preparation by artificial means. These 

 animals have hitherto been found imly in the rivers of New Holland. Tliey 

 are expert swimmers,and seldom quit the water. On shore they crawl rather 

 than walk, occasioned by the shortness of the limbs and coniparative length 

 of the body. They probably live on worms and aquatic insects. 



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