356 MAN A T L 
the head fearcc didinguifhable •, and the lad always 
hangs down : the circumference of the body near 
. the fhoulders is twelve feet, about the belly twenty, 
near the tail only four feet eight: the head thirty- 
one inches: the neck near feven feet: and from 
thefe meafurements may be collected the deformity 
of this animal: near the fhoulders are two feet, or 
rather fins, which are only two feet two inches 
long, and have neither lingers nor nails •, beneath 
are concave, and covered with hard bridles: the 
tail is thick, ftrong, and horizontal, ending in a 
ftiff black fin, and like the fubdance of whalebone, 
and much fpiit in the fore part, the end (lightly 
divided. 
The (kin is very thick, black, and full of ine¬ 
qualities, like the bark of oak, and fo hard as fcarce 
to be cut with an ax, and has no hair on it: be¬ 
neath the fkin is a thick blubber, which tade like 
oil of almonds. The fiefh is coarfer than beef, and 
will not foon putrify. The young ones tade like 
veal. The fkin ufed for fhoes, and for covering 
the Tides of boats. 
Befides thefe, Mr. Steller law on the coafl of 
Sea Ape. America* another very lingular animal, which he 
calls a Sea Ape: it was five feet long, the head like 
a dog’s • ears fharp and ereft *, eyes large j on both 
lips a fort of beard 3 the form of its body thick and 
round, thicked near the head, tapering to the tail, 
which was bifurcated, the upper lobe the longed, 
the body covered with thick hair, grey on the back. 
• * Kmnt/chatkdj 136 . 
red 
