UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, 293 



The Arctic Walrus, sometimes called the Sea Cow, is a native of 

 the Magdalene islands, St. John's and Anticosti, in the gulph of St. 

 Lawrence. They are, when out of the water, very unwieldy, and 

 move with great difficulty. They crawl upon the islands in fair 

 weather; and if not disturbed will remain, it is said, for several days 

 without food, basking in the sun. They weigh from fifteen hundred 

 to two thousand pounds; and produce irom one to two barrels of oil, 

 which is boiled out of the fat that lies between the skin and the flesh. 

 Immediately on their arrival at their summer residence, the females 

 calve, and engender again in two months after ; so that they carry 

 their young about nine months. They never have more than two at 

 a time, and seldom more than one. They are monogamous. 



In the upper jaw of this animal there are two long tusks, bending 

 downwards. These are used for the purposes of defence; and in the 

 dreadful conflicts which sometimes happen between them and the 

 Polar Bears, arising from the occupancy of the same piece of ice, 

 the advantage is generally on the side of the Walrus. 



They are gregarious, and sometimes have been found together in 

 thousands ; are very shy, and avoid the haunts of mankind. They 

 are usually seen on the floating ice. They sleep both on the ice, and 

 in the water, and snore excessively loud. They are harmless, unless 

 provoked; but when wounded, or attacked, grow fierce, and are very 

 vindictive. 



Manati. "This animal forms the connecting link between the beasts 

 and fishes. It is a very clumsy creature, with a head thkker than 

 that of an ox; eyes small; and the two feet are placed near the head, 

 for the purpose of swimming. It is of sufficient size to form a load for 

 two oxen. They are about fifteen feet long, and six broad. As this 

 animal has only fore feet, it has obtained the name of Manati, i. e. 'an 

 animal with both hands.' This animal has been found in the rivers 

 which run from Georgia into the Gulf of Mexico."* 



"The Manati" says Captain Henderson, "which is described as 

 forming the boundary between quadrupeds and fishes, is an inhabi- 

 tant of the waters contiguous to the shores of Honduras. The male 

 and female are usually found together; and, whilst sporting on the 

 surface of the different lagoons, are frequently destroyed by the har- 

 poon or dart, in the use of which the slaves of the settlement, and 

 the Indians of the neighbouring Mosquito nation, are wonderfully 

 dexterous. This singular animal sometimes exceeds a thousand 

 pounds in weight. Its flesh, either fresh or salted, is particulaidy ad- 

 mired, and thought very closely to resemble veal. The tail, which, 

 forms the most valuable part of the manati, after laying some days in 

 a pickle prepared for it with spices &c. and eaten cold, is a discovery 

 of which Apicius might have been proud, and which the discrimi- 

 nating palate of Elagabalus would have thought justly entitled to the 

 most distinguished reward."! 



The Wolf has a long head, pointed nose, sharp and erect ears, long 

 legs, and a bushy tail which bends down ; its hair is pretty long, the 

 colour usually of a pale brown, mixed with dull yellow and black. 

 This destructive animal has fortunately become scarce in the culti- 

 vated parts of America. Formerly rewards were offered for kill- 

 ing them, as their ravages among the sheep, calves and ^iogs of the 



* Morse's Geography, vol. i. p 247. 



t An account of the British Settlement of Honduras, p. 37, 106. London, 1809, 



Vol. IT. P p 



