388 CHAPTERS ON THE NATURAL HISTORY 



of the smaller Cetaceans when the opportunity is afforded them, 

 and from these to take accurate measurements of the specimens 

 at the time of capture. Skeletons could also be made, and 

 viscera placed in crude spirits, both being brought home and 

 turned over to the proper authorities for description. And, 

 when it so happens that somebody chances to be on board who 

 can make a serviceable sketch of the animal, this essential aid 

 should never be overlooked; the habits of whales in their normal 

 habitat should also be constantly recorded, and particularly as 

 soon after the observation as possible. Lighthouse keepers and 

 other seashore observers can effect all this, and much more be- 

 sides, for where any of the whale tribe are driven ashore in their 

 vicinity, they can, in addition to what is suggested above, often 

 be enabled to take a good series of photographs of the specimen, 

 as well as a very complete set of measurements. When within a 

 reasonable distance of Washington, they can, too, inirnediately 

 send a telegram to Mr. F. W. True, Executive Curator of the U. 

 S. National Museum, that such and such suspicious looking 

 specimens have gone ashore at such and such a point, thus giving 

 the proper authorities the opportunity to dispatch a responsible 

 person to the spot should they desire to do so. There are un- 

 doubtedly a number of the smaller species of Cetaceans in our 

 waters as yet uudescribed.* 



From the consideration of the Whales we may pass to an en- 

 tirely distinct order of large aquatic mammals, that by nature 

 are partly amphibious. I refer to the Manatees of the Order 

 Sirenia (Sea Cows), including the family Trichechidm, which 

 contains two forms or species, namely the South American Man- 

 atee (Trichechns manatus, Linm?) and the Florida Manatee (T. 

 latirostris, Harlan), True. 



My personal knowledge of the Manatees is principally based 

 upon having carefully studied the skeletons and other material 

 afforded by the Museums, and having seen a live one once on the 

 west coast of Florida, and another, some twenty-seven or eight 

 years ago, about half a mile up the Coatzacoalcos Kiver on the 



* Those of my readers desiring to further inform themselves upon the subject which of necessity I 

 have been compelled to deal with so briefly in this chapter, can do no better than consult some of the 

 following works : 



Bibliography of Cetacea : D. F. Eschricht, " Untersuchungen fiber die Nordisehen Wallthiere." 1840. 

 " Osteographie des ' Vtaces," by P. J Van Beneden and P. Gervais, 18KS-79. C. M. Scammon, "Marine 

 Mammals of the N W. Coast of North America." 1874. For the structure of whalebone, see Hunter. 

 " Observations on the Structure and Economy of Whales," Phil. Trans., IT'S?; Eschricht and Rhein- 

 hardt. " On the Greedland Right Whale." English translation by the Ray Society. 1866, pp. 07-78 ; and 

 Sir W. Turner, in Trans. Roy. Soc. Edin., 1870, Thomas Beale ; "Natural History of the Sperm 

 Whale," London, 1830, Andrew Murray ; "The Geographical Distribution of Mammals," London, 1800. 

 p. 213. T.N.Gill; " Sperm- Whales, Giant and Pigmy," Amer Nat. iv. p 738, fig. 167. Capt. David 

 Gray ; Land and Water, Dec. 1, '77, p. 40S, and many other special monographs. 



