22 
SYSTEM OF NATURE. 
cross on the sand, which he kissed in form of making 
oath to the truth of his statement. When the story was 
told me I ridiculed it, but by way of diversion I sent for 
the sailor who saw this nondescript, into the cabin, and 
questioned him respecting it. He told me the story as I 
have related it, and in so clear and positive a manner, 
making oath as to its truth, that I concluded he must 
really have seen the animal he described, or that it must 
have been the effects of a disturbed imagination.” * In 
neither of these seemingly authentic statements is any allu¬ 
sion made to arms, the constant and important appendages 
of the fabulous mermaid, and certainly not to be omitted in 
a fictitious narrative; indeed had I amused myself with 
describing animals, such as I could wish to find, really be¬ 
longing to the Cete yet closely approximating to the Pri¬ 
mates, I could not have accomplished this in so satisfactory 
a manner as these authors have done, although they never 
dreamed of the purpose for which their descriptions would 
be quoted. 
To return to the diagram at page 19: the seals being 
placed at A, the walrus possibly intervenes between these 
and Manatus, which is our nearest approach to the Prima¬ 
tes ; for much nearer as Halicore and Rytina would at 
first appear, their dentition is widely different, Rytina 
having but a single molar tooth on each side above and 
below: this is of oblong shape, very large size, and said 
to be flat and wrinkled on the crown, with many zigzag 
ridges of enamel; but the intermediate spaces which form 
the substance of the tooth are of a homy nature. These 
* A Voyage towards the South Pole, 1822-24, by James Weddell, 
Esq., Master in the Royal Navy.—p. 142. 
