353 
M A N A T I. 
of Orenoque , and the lakes formed by it; and laftly, 
in the river of Amazons * 7 but in no other part of 
the Atlantic Ocean. 
They live perpetually in the water, and frequent 
the edges of the fhores % and in calm weather fwim 
in great droves near the mouths of rivers : in the 
time of flood they come fo near the land that a per- 
fon may flroke them with his hand: if hurt, they 
fwim out to fea * but prefently return again. They 
live in families, one near another; each confifts of 
a male, a female, a half-grown young one, and a 
very fmall one. The females oblige the young to 
fwim before them, while the other old ones furround, 
and, as it were, guard them on all Tides. The af¬ 
fection between the male and female is very great; 
for if fhe is attacked he will defend her to the utmoft, 
and if fhe is killed will follow her corps to the very 
fhore, hnd fwim for fome days near the place it has 
been landed at. 
They copulate in the fpring, in the fame manner 
as the human kind, efpecially in calm weather, to¬ 
wards the evening. The female fwims gently about; 
the male purfues; till tired with wantoning fhe flings 
fierfelf on her back, and admits his embraces^. St el- 
ler thinks they go with young above a year: it is 
* Dampler fawthem in quantity on the Mofquito fhore, I. 33. Gu- 
mil!a> in the river Orenoque , II. 43, and Condamine , p. 77, in that of 
the Amazons. It is brought from the laft in great quantities, falted, 
to Cayenne. Churchill's coll. voy. V. 562, 563. 
f The Leonine and Urfine feals copulate in the fame manner, only, 
after fporting in the fea for fome time, they come on fhore for that 
purpofe. 
A a certain 
i 
