512 CLASS MAMMALIA. 



The name of Trichecus which comes from rpi^ a hair, now 

 applied to the Morse, was given at first by Artedi to the 

 Lamantius. 



The Morses seem to live on prey like the Seals. Their 

 stomach is exactly alike. They are found in abundance 

 in the northern Atlantic Ocean, and also in the polar 

 regions of the Pacific. As yet but one species is known, 

 though it is by no means impossible, as Shaw remarks, that 

 each of these great seas has one peculiar to itself. The 

 difference of such species would consist in the proportional 

 magnitude of the tusks, and their more or less convergent 

 direction. 



The only species named the Morse ( Tricheus Rosmarus,) 

 is vulgarly called the Sea-cow, Sea-horse, fyc. 



These are animals of a very large size, brown colour, very 

 like the Pbocse in general form, but heavier, and closely 

 resembling them in their way of life, They inhabit similar 

 places, and are generally found together. Both hold equally 

 to the land and water, mount on the icebergs, suckle and 

 bring up their young similarly, subsist on similar aliments, 

 and live together in numerous societies in the same man- 

 ner. It would seem, however, that the Morses do not 

 travel so far as the Seals, and are more attached to their 

 native climate. They are never found except in the North 

 Seas, and accordingly were unknown to the ancients, who 

 were well acquainted with the Seal tribe. 



Most travellers in those seas have spoken of the Morse, 

 but those to whom most credit may be attached are Zorg- 

 drager and Cook. 



f*. The Seals and Morses," says the first of these writers, 

 *' come during the heat of summer into the seas near the 

 Bay of Horisont and that of Klock, in troops of eighty, a 

 hundred, and even two hundred, especially the Morses, 

 which remain there many days until hunger forces them 

 back into the main ocean. Many Morses are seen towards 



