No. 469] 



BIOLOGY OF THE DUGONG 



57 



explained by the method of feeding just described which neces- 

 sitates their active share in this process. Finsch, however, speaks 

 of dugong tracks that were found on bars left more or less dry 

 at low tide and could be readily recognized by the cropped sea 

 grass, the disturbed bottom, and the imprints that were left by 

 the animals' bodies. The first of these marks is established by 

 the description preceding, but we may very well doubt whether 

 the last is possible. Nothing of the sort was certainly observed 

 in Moreton Bay, Sandy Straits, Wide Bay, and the northern Coral 

 Sea. 



There can be no doubt that the sensitive upper lip plays an 

 important part in the taking of food. We know from the numer- 

 ous careful observations made on living manatees in aquaria (we 

 may mention only Brown, ^lurie, and Xoack) how extensively 

 these animals use the upper lip in feeding. It is unnecessary to 

 lay particular stress on the fact that the food plants of the man- 

 atee are considerably different from those of the dugong because 

 of their different habitats. The feeding habits of the dugong, 

 as described, likewise differ in a general way from those of tlie 



The washing of \\w food plants in the mouth must be very 

 thoroughly done. MortM)\tM-, the dugong in its progress stirs 

 up a quantitv of sand and other inorganic particles but for all 

 that, matter of this sort is seldom found in its stomach contents. 



It has been previously stated that the cai)tnred dugong while 

 being pulled ashore, voided excreta and intestinal gases with the 

 characteristic dugong odor. It likcwisr did (lie same while lying 

 hauled out (m the land. The fa'ces were rather solid, cylindrical, 

 and greenish yellow to greenish Mack, aromatic hiit not fo'tid; 

 in the water they >aid. at once. Hian<h "(l!), p. 2;;:> (-n the other 

 hand, states that the inte^inal content-, of the .-ircnia are Mn.ngly 

 f<rtid, that the excreta lloat on the uater. an<l arc similar in form 

 to those of the cow or the hors,>. (•ha]>man i7o. o. Midi records 

 that the faeces of a captmvd manatee that apj^NUvd t.. he Mitler- 



of gaseous bubbles was given out from the anns. Murit> -"sO. 

 p. 22) in case of his manatee merely mention, the dn. ppings. 

 Noack ('87, p. 300) on the other hand, states ])ositively tiiat the 



