128 DE. J. MUEIE ON THE FOEM AND STEUCTUEE OF THE MANATEE. 



such bloated over-stuflfed specimens, that from them, as well as figures extant, an unfair 

 idea of the configuration is obtained, and one is embarrassed to comprehend the mode 

 of progression of such an awkward form in water as on land. 



Emendations on the text of the forementioned authors relative to the shape of the 

 animal are less necessary ; so that I limit myself to a notice of the points which photo- 

 tography has elucidated in the present case. PI. XVII. fig. 1, profile view, shows that 

 in the young Manatee the head and body, to as far as the root of the tail, have together 

 a very elongated biconical contour — not so protuberant at the posterior belly part as in 

 Home's figure, and quite difierent from the barrel-like aspect of Vrolik's animal. Seen 

 on the dorsal (PI. XVIII. fig. 3) and on the ventral (PL XVII. fig. 2) aspects, the biconical 

 form is less rigid, from the deep skin-sulci being more emarginate ; whilst towards the 

 pelvic region there is a sudden rugged contraction, as if behind the ribs a broad band 

 had been tightly lashed round the short axis of the body. Posteriorly to this the outer 

 border-lines obliquely diverge in a very gradual and regular manner, so as to form a 

 comparatively long and very broad, thin, shovel-shaped, caudal orgau. 



The hindermost border, whilst rounded \ has a remarkable truncated character, and 

 centrally is incised ; or rather there is a short, shallow longitudinal sulcus on its upper 

 surface, which forms a corresponding convexity below. The tail of Home's specimen 

 gives a three-quarter or tilted view ; but this, if compared with the present fig. 1, is too 

 much narrowed at the end. The Beaver-shaped tail attributed to Manatus by some 

 writers is true only to a certain extent, inasmuch as in the latter it broadens greatly 

 compared with the former, and, as Albers's figure distinctly represents, there is a slight 

 mesial V-shaped indentation or emargination. 



Kegarding the head, Stannius's figure is by far the most trustworthy ; but, as already 

 particularized, the absence of texture detracts from the otherwise characteristic phy- 

 siognomy of the creature. W. Vrolik's best representation, to my mind, seems to be 

 that depicting the under surface of the lower jaw and muzzle (pi. 2. fig. 5) ; his front 

 foreshortened view of the head (pi. 2. fig. 4) has far too large, staring eyes ; and these 

 are not widely enough apart. The facial expression, as dependent on the eye, is 

 markedly noticeable on comparing Vrolik's plates and those now given. The accuracy 

 of the present lithographs are vouched for as carefully taken photographs, faithfully 

 and minutely copied by my artists, Messrs. Berjeau and Smit, figure 3 alone having 

 been slightly reduced from the negative impression so as to fit the length of the plate. 



2. Admeasurements. — Humboldt, Stannius, and Vrolik have each recorded some of 

 the proportional dimensions of the body. On this account it might be deemed super- 

 fluous to institute a fresh series of measurements, were it not that it lends precision to 

 the description and figures of the specimens under immediate consideration. Inches 

 and decimals have been taken as the standard throughout. 



' This peculiarity has evidently caused the adoption of the name " Eound-tailed Trichechus " for the 

 Manatee, vid. Shaw's ' Zoology,' vol. i. p. 244. 



