118 



THE INHABITANTS OF THE SEA. 



Skeleton of the Dugong. 



Martius says he never tasted bet- 

 ter meat in the Brazils. The 

 South American monks, who have 

 their own ideas on the classifica- 

 tion of animals, consider it as 

 fish, and fare sumptuously upon it 

 during Lent. Besides its flesh, 

 one single animal gives as much 

 as 4000 bottles of oil, which is 

 used both in cookery and for 

 lighting. The thick hide is cut 

 into stripes, from which straps or 

 whips are made, to flog the un- 

 fortunate negroes. Useful in 

 many respects, defenceless and 

 easy to kill, particularly during 

 the time of the inundations, when 

 it ascends the great rivers, the ma- 

 natee or sea-cow has been nearly 

 extirpated in many parts where it 

 formerly abounded, a fate which 

 it partakes with the East Indian 

 dugong. These animals might 

 easily be enclosed and tamed, in 

 the lagoons and bays of the tro- 

 pical streams; but it is to be feared 

 that they will have vanished from 

 the face of the earth before the 

 industry of man endeavours to 

 introduce them, as it were, among 

 the domestic animals. 



The Seal family forms a still 

 nearer approach to the land ■ 

 quadrupeds, as here hind feet 

 begin to make their appearance. 

 The shortness of these extremities 

 renders their movements upon 

 land generally awkward and slow, 

 but they make up for this de- 

 ficiency by an uncommon activity 

 in the water. Their body, taper- 



