. An introduction to the study of mammals living and extinct. Mammals. SIREXJA there is no trustworthy cAadence of its attaining a greater length than 8 feet. Its general external form may be seen in Fig. 71, taken from a living example in the Brighton Aquarium. The body is somewhat fish-bke, but depressed and ending posteriorly in a broad, flat, shovel-like, horizontal tail, with rounded edges. The head is of moderate size, oblong, with a blunt, truncated muzzle, and di^aded from the body by a ver}' slight constriction or neck. The fore hmbs are flattened oval paddles, placed rather low on th
. An introduction to the study of mammals living and extinct. Mammals. SIREXJA there is no trustworthy cAadence of its attaining a greater length than 8 feet. Its general external form may be seen in Fig. 71, taken from a living example in the Brighton Aquarium. The body is somewhat fish-bke, but depressed and ending posteriorly in a broad, flat, shovel-like, horizontal tail, with rounded edges. The head is of moderate size, oblong, with a blunt, truncated muzzle, and di^aded from the body by a ver}' slight constriction or neck. The fore hmbs are flattened oval paddles, placed rather low on the sides of the body, and showing externally no signs of di-^-ision into fingers, but with a tolerably free motion at the shoulder, elbow, and wrist joints, and with three diminutive flat nails near their extremities. Xo traces of hind limbs are discernible either exter- nally or internally; and there is no dorsal fin. The mouth is very peculiar, the tumid upper lip being cleft in the middle Hne into two lobes, each of which is separately movable, as will be described in speaking of its manner of feeding. The nostrils are two semilunar. 5l> Fig. 71.—American Manatee Qlanatus americanus), from life. Froc. Zool. Soc, liSl. p. 457. valve-like shts, at the apex of the muzzle. The eves are verv minute, placed at the sides of the head, and -nith a nearly circular aperture with -wrinkled margins. The external ear is a minute orifice situated behind the eye, without any trace of pinna. The skin generally is of a dark grayish colour, not smooth and glistening, like that of the Cetacea, but finely ^vrinkled. At a httle distance it appears naked, but a close inspection, at all events in voung animals, shows a scanty covering of very delicate hairs, and' both upper and under lips are well supplied mth short stiff liristles. The general form of the skull is seen in Fig. 72. The cerebral cavity is rather small as compared with the size of the animal, and of oblong form; its roof is forme
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