MAMMALS 319 



teats are two in number and anterior in position. The skin 

 may bear scattering hairs. 



Manatee. — This is a curious mammal, forming a sort 

 of connecting link between the whales and the hoofed 

 mammals. The American manatee ranges from Florida 

 to northern South America. It is still found in certain 

 rivers of Florida, and is protected from extermination by- 

 state laws. The skin of this animal is smooth, but has 

 scattering hairs. It is twelve to fifteen feet long and fre- 

 quents the mouths of rivers. The molar teeth have flat 

 crowns for grinding vegetation, for the manatee lives upon 

 aquatic plants. The fore limbs are modified into paddles and 

 the rounded, thin, flat tail acts as a propelling organ, while 

 the hind limbs are wanting. The flesh of a closely related 

 species is used for food by the South American natives. 



There are certain sea cows, known as dugongs, found 

 along the eastern coast of Africa and the coasts of India, 

 Ceylon, and Australia. 



The Hoofed Mammals ( Ungulata) 



The hoofed mammals are-chiefly herbivorous and the skin 

 may bear an abundant covering of hair or the fur may be 

 scanty. The claws or nails of other mammals are replaced 

 by a horny hoof which bears the weight of the body, and the 

 canine teeth are absent. 



The hoofed mammals may be divided into three groups : 

 those that possess an odd number of toes, the horse, zebra, 

 ass, tapir, and rhinoceros; those with an even number of 

 toes, giraffe, camel, deer, oxen, hog, and hippopotamus; 

 and a third group including those that have a trunk, or 

 proboscis, represented by the elephant. 



