DE. J. MUEIB ON THE MANATEE. 23 



cabbage ; but afterwards it chose lettuce, and entirely eschewed the others^. AVhen in 

 the height of health it consumed, according to Mr. C'arrington, from 90 to 1121b. of 

 green food daily. As lettuce became scarce and dear, it cost 10s. a day to supply it 

 with the French sort ; and although cabbage «&c. M'as then cheap and abundant, it 

 daintily chose the former, and as steadily avoided and refused the latter. 



For six months all went well, and numerous were the visitors that came and went 

 without disturbing the equanimity or destroying the appetite of this Sirenian. The 

 tank- water was kept at about 70° to 74° Fahr. by steam being introduced at regular 

 intervals or whenever the thermometer showed a depression. But just at Christmas 

 time, during very cold weather, by accident the keeper one night in the dark unskil- 

 fully left the waste-plug loose or obliquely placed it in the hole ; consequently the water 

 slowly drained away, and Manatee was left high and dry to suifer from a serious chill 

 of the cold atmosphere. Next morning when the water was run into the tank it 

 showed signs of depression and illness, and thenceforth, apparently refusing all food, 

 it daily became thinner and thinner, but lingered on until the loth of March, 1879, 

 when it died of sheer exhaustion -. . 



' According to Dr. Sclater (/. c), the Mauatee which lived in the Zoological Society's Gardens in 1875, was 

 fed there on lettuce and vegetable-marrow. Dr. Chapman states the Philadelphian animals, while under obser- 

 vation, ate and appeared thoroughlj- to enjoy Viilisneria spiralis (as much as twenty-one pounds in twenty- 

 four hours), Ceratophyllmn (the Hornwort), and Viva latissima ; but he likewise says, " the Manatee will cat 

 freely of cabbage, spinach, kale, baked apples, celery-tops," &c. (I. c. pp. 459 & 461). 



' The following extract from the ' Field ' is a short popular report of the post-mortem examination that I 

 drew out for Mr. Carrington's use, and which explains the precise nature of the creature's illness &c. : — 



"Agreeably to your wish I herewith supply you with a short report on the cause of death of the Manatee. 

 I need hardly remind you of the sex — a female, adult though not old. As you are well aware, the animal 

 had very sensibly lost flesh, so that, instead of the original barrel-like plump figure, gradual wasting had 

 caused backbone and ribs to acquire exterior prominence most xmusual in the Sirenian tribe. AH the 

 important organs — to wit, the brain, heart and lungs, stomach, Hver, and kidneys — were sound and healthy, 

 though flaccid and flabby in texture. The flesh and fat of the Manatees when killed in their native haunts are 

 well known to be firm, but pale-coloured, and uncommonly good eating, comparable in appearance and flavour 

 to well-fed veal or pork. In this Aquarium specimen, however, it may be assumed that during its late illness 

 and fasting both fat and muscular substance had degenerated and run to waste. Literally, fat, in most limited 

 quantity, was indistinguishable from the cellular and fibrous tissues and flesh, and, excepting the moro solid 

 back- and taU-musoles, soft and watery to a degree. Under the tongue was a small watery bladder, or cyst, 

 resembling what, surgically, is called a " ranula." This cyst may be of parasitic origin ; but I have laid it aside 

 for fui'ther examination. It certainly was not of a fatal character. The real cause of the animal's Ulncss and 

 subsequent death lay in another quarter, namely, abdomen and bowels. On opening the belly, about its 

 middle, I found a small piece of the gut adherent to the inner lining of the beUy-wall ; and further examina- 

 tion showed that a limited area of the intestine had undergone inflammation, ulceration, and peritonitis, the 

 latter accounting for the adhesion above mentioned. The very thick muscular coat of the intestine evidently 

 prevented absolute perforation and rapid death. As far as the structures in question enable me to judge, the 

 illness about Christmas time may be attributed to a sudden colic and inflammation of the intestine (enteritis), 

 or, as likely, sharp peritoneal attack (peritonitis), brought on by the rapid dull in the temperature of the 

 air. All the symptoms you mention point to this. The almost total loss of appetite afterwards, gradual 

 depression, and wasting bear out the probable course of the disease, but indicate the local character of the 



