GUIANA TRICHECIIUS. 245 



feet are placed" at the shoulders; and beneath the 

 skin are bones for five complete toes, and exter- 

 nally are three or four nails, flat and rounded : near 

 the base of each leg, in the female, is a small 

 teat. The flesh of this animal is said to resemble 

 veal : it is, however, chiefly killed by the negroes 

 for the sake of the blubber or fat. 



GUIANA TRICHECHUS. 



Trichechus Manatus. T. subpilosus, dentibus laniartis nullis y cauda 



horizontali loco pedum posteriorum. 

 Slightly hairy Trichechus, without tusks, and with a horizontal 



tail in place of hind feet. 

 Traichechus Manatus. Lin. Syst. Nat. Gmel. p. 60. 

 Guiana Manati. Pennant Quadr. 2. /. 297. 



This is a native of Guiana, inhabiting the larger 

 rivers as well as the sea, and grows to the length 

 of sixteen or eighteen feet : the skin is of a dark 

 brown, with scattered hairs on it. The head 

 hangs downward: the feet have five toes: the 

 body continues of nearly the same thickness al- 

 most to the tail, where it suddenly narrows : the 

 tail is flat, and of the shape of a spatula; thickest 

 in the middle, and thinner towards the edges. 



