Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1891-04-04
THE SEX COW.
A STRANGE ANIMAL THAr HE.
COMING EXTINCT
Its Haunts. Habits and Peculiarities
How liz is Caught in Seines-
Its Dainty Flesh Now AL.
most Priceless

to most of our winter visitors is the mer-
maid, or manatee, but, unfortunately, it
cannot then be seen, as it leaves for O
warmer climate on the approach ef cold
following spring, generally about May
This harmless creature is locally
maid, river calf and some Others, and
among naturaGsts as the trichechus
the manatee.
The manatee received its name of sea
cow from the supposed resemblance of
the mouth to that of the denizen of the
barnyard, and of mermaid from the sail
, ors who saw it far out to sea holding its
baby with one hipper.
The only resemblance the sea COW
really bears to the land COW is that it is
mammal, suckles its young, feeds ON
! herbage, and is gentle but not timid. 1t
| differs from all other marine mammals
outside its own group in various ways,
notably in its curious structure, it hav-
ing broad, powerful fat tail, like that
| of a whale, which enables it to sink and
rise from great depths by few strokes
having forefippers, like the seal, which,
it uses for walking or swimming; a re-
markably thick skin, which allies it
somewhat to the paehydermata, the
hardest and densest bones of all the
mammals; eyes even smaller than those of
the hog, and flesh more palatable than
the finest venison.
The tenderness Of its meat was one
great cause of its destruction, for man
! and the fierce carnivora waged constant
warfare against it from the most north
erly shores of Alaska to the waters of
Brazil. The Indians OF the Amazon
River even now consider it the greatest
delicacy obtainable, and capture it ex-
tensively during its migrations up and
down the river.
Its hide is also very useful. The
Seminole Indians, in times of yore, made
canoes out df it, and almost indestructa
BILE ropes, lariats, whips and household
utensils.
The density and hardness of the bones,
the toughness and thickness of the skin,
which is underlaid with about two
inches of the richest kind of fat, and the
short time it remains near the surface oi
the water to breathe, makes it the hard
est animal in the world to kill with a
rife, and, for these reasons, one rarely
hears of the destruction of one with fire
arms.
The usual method of capturing the
manatee in Florida is to plant very
heavy net, about 800 or 400 feet il
length, and from six to twelve feet in
depth, in places which it is known tc
frequent. The net is never anchored
but either tied to two posts firmly set il
the bottom of the river, or else fastened
by light strings to bushes or trees or
shore, so that the least touch Of wan.
derer may break them and allow tht
seine TO envelop it.
The trappers may either build them
selves palmetto huts on shore for shelter
while waiting for prize, or secure bet
ter quarters and freedom from the as
saults Of mosquitoes aboard shallow
draught sloop, for the Santa Lucia il
little more than lagoon and only tel
miles long.
Those IN boat. keep a constant watc
night and day to see that prize and ne
dc not escape them, whilst those on shor
[ may only visit the seines two or three
e times in the twcnty-four hours. Whel
2 ever they take up their quarters, thci
/ virgil is generally long and must b
5 silent, for the mermaid has probably sh
: keenest hearing Of any known animal
!, that being really its only means Of de
y fence.
!, The fall of a blade Of grass on tn
s water will send one fleeing ALMOST q
5 rapidly as the sigh. Of . dog will
+ hare.
e It's sight is also very good, conside,
o ing tina. the eyes are very small. an
Il look smaller than they are, owing t
their being largely hidden by heavy fold
OF skin. After period OF wear~wai;
/, ing the men may have their hearts 81
/ wildly beating by seeing commotion i
b their nets. They hasten rapidly towar
d it, only to find, perhaps. that vagra,
alligator Is trying to force its va