342 
SAVANNA-LE-MAK. 
tangled in a seine. It was still alive, and apparently 
uninjured, but lay with a dull inertness, manifesting 
little sign of vitality, except now and then a lazy 
flap of the broad tail, and the periodical opening of 
the nostrils. Its pachydermatous character struck me 
at once : the skin, rough and coarse, presented no 
resemblance to the smooth integument of a Dolphin 
of similar size, which is like the softest and smooth- 
est kid leather, whereas this greatly resembled the 
hide of a huge pig. The form of the muzzle, also, 
though peculiar, has much analogy with that of a hog, 
and the remarkable character of its surface, semi- 
cartilaginous, plump, and lubricated, is the same in 
both animals. The development of muzzle, again, 
strongly marks the typical Pachydermata, as it does 
the Manatee. A few short hairs stand up perpen- 
dicularly from the head, especially on the 1‘ront of 
the muzzle, on the lower part of which they become 
stout white tubes, about a line in diameter, and three 
lines in length. The nostrils are placed on the top 
of the muzzle, and consist of two tubular orifices 
about an inch in diameter, when open ; but ordi- 
narily closed by a sort of valve of semi-lunar form, 
so that their position is indicated only by a depres- 
sion of that form, the horns of which point forwards. 
The action of breathing is periodical and sudden : I 
did not measure the intervals of respiration, but it 
might be several minutes. Suddenly the crescentic 
depressions become circular openings, and the warm 
breath is expired ; in about half a minute they are 
closed as suddenly. The valve or stopper has a 
singular appearance: when its action is carefully 
