342 SAVANNA-LE-MAE. 



tangled in a seine. It was still alive, and apparently 

 uninjured, but lay with a dull inertness, manifesting 

 little sign of vitality, except now and then a lazy 

 flap of the broad tail, and the periodical opening of 

 the nostrils. Its pachydermatous character struck me 

 at once : the skin, rough and coarse, presented no 

 resemblance to the smooth integument of a Dolphin 

 of similar size, which is like the softest and smooth- 

 est kid leather, whereas this greatly resembled the 

 hide of a huge pig. The form of the muzzle, also, 

 though peculiar, has much analogy with that of a hog, 

 and the remarkable character of its surface, semi- 

 cartilaginous, plump, and lubricated, is the same in 

 both animals. The development of muzzle, again, 

 strongly marks the typical P achy dermal a ^ as it does 

 the Manatee. A few short hairs stand up perpen- 

 dicularly from the head, especially on the front of 

 the muzzle, on the lower part of which they become 

 stout white tubes, about a line in diameter, and three 

 lines in length. The nostrils are placed on the top 

 of the muzzle, and consist of two tubular orifices 

 about an inch in diameter, when open ; but ordi- 

 narily closed by a sort of valve of semi-lunar form, 

 so that their position is indicated only by a depres- 

 sion of that form, the horns of which point forwards. 

 The action of breathing is periodical and sudden : I 

 did not measure the intervals of respiration, but it 

 might be several minutes. Suddenly the crescentic 

 depressions become circular openings, and the warm 

 breath is expired ; in about half a minute they are 

 closed as suddenly. The valve or stopper has a 

 singular appearance: when its action is carefully 



