New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-03-17
THE FLORIDA MANATEE.
From The Florida Citizen.

From The Florida Citizen. -.
Few people whI visit the curlo stand on the az 8
front just north OF the Royal Poincana GROUNDS =
the live manatee. or sea cow are imaslhSs nrs
enough 10 perceive in the wonderful. unlove!y io.m
OF the huge pachyderm n It's cage OF inadea" A.
proportions the origin of the delightful fable o. rSat
mermads the GTecian legends OF the sirens tpss
these did originate in this monster Of the sea Is H'
dIsputable 49,, . N,
which is manatus. belongs to the genus OF ns,'
bivorous cetacea or manatdae. its CHIEF mar ss
nsushsd 0 BY the S Of A small a nails
the edge OF the swimming paws. In The e Sn fss
which under the skin. fingers can easily De ..s
Connected together as they are by strong lsanl.,r
they possess considerable power OF motion wn, nS
the name manatee Qrom the Latin manus, ha"Ii
The name sea originated in the sim!sri! "
the manatees mouth ana nose 10 'n ds,i q, ii:
crowns OF the grinders are square, with TWO "'"'
The species all of which are inhabitants Of troy.
ica coasts feed entirely on plants ana gras ~
which grow along shore and on the bed OF , M
which after i has retrTS hsy of S cssS IN Ss
considerable distance from the sea ..,.
The best known species Is the Ma la Fnrda BE-
ginning I'm Indian River and extending TO bsea'"
The Manatldae family Of sirenia inelITahn ss
ali OF the herbivorous section OF the order Inw
differ from the ordinary eetacea In hayns sIrenis
are an order Of mammals represented by Two i sn
es The form Is somewhat d Is IKE ,S Ss' genus
and the family their names-Srena ana Msnvv
The brain resembles that of hoofed and carnivoross
animals. The idea OF the mermaids anu 49,
with the appearance and peculiartes OF the y BE-
its hands or paws. the contour or the po'y 10
tween the neck and tail. and the fact OF us oe"s
a mammal all suggest human attriputes-ir.a TIA
unpoetic origin of a host Of fascinating myths im
mana tee at any rate, more closely resembles ms''
maid than anything else to be found In the wa'es a.,
Living as IL does, on grass, the mana,ee
nshes fne food, The skin is very thick an. vhltc
fesh "a I, nder as veal Is displayed when, VIZ. s
Cooked either roasted BOILED or broiled. Is delicoa~
No nshy TASTE Is percepibe. and the meat can co,
pare very favorably With veal or pork and Is rea"'
The manatee is very docile and gentle as CAL =.
which IL much resembles in disposition as wen -, -
in appearance about the nose and mouth ~ r m
strong for It's immense SIZE except In It's ran ans
catching OF one is not nearly much sport as Smt gu;
might expect. They are swift In the waieri S''
play very little after being harpooned soon t,,,nbis
law was passed by the last Legislature pron'Ssrs
ing the capture or killing OF manas srst from
the County Commissioners under penslty Q. .n v~S
the purpose be scientific one. People eA"'''
catch manatee for sport any longer; 40 .,,, 4.
OF
secured by e. Beardsley Of New, , any lie
party out TO Bears Cut. the mddie en,rs ss hsrs
pooned, weighing 1000 pounds L was iasnsS% otS.
the stern Of the Gpsey. towed ashore and p"v IA
graphed. Mr. Beardsley preserved the ski M
skeleton and the ns,ghbornood fss cnsnut Grove
s The manates Exhibited at THU. place nine s'
long and weighs 1900 pounds II was csp.u.vSc ~, 4
the mouth Of the st. Lucie River. ts han,.n' aoSth
number Of years before increased IN osn seIes ws
very scarce which fact accounts for the law pr
hIbitng indiscriminate catching.