THE Great Morse, or Arctic Walrus, belongs to the manati tribe. The individuals of, this tribe have no fore teeth in either of the jaws, and have two great tusks, pointing downwards, which proceed from the upper jaw. The use of these tusks is to scrape shell fish and other prey out of the sand, and to assist the owner in climbing islands of ice, and in contending with its enemies. None of the manati are carnivorous; their food consisting of corallines, shell fish, and sea weeds. The hind feet are placed at the extremity of the body, and unite into a sort of fin.

The Great Morse is a large animal, often measuring eighteen feet in length, and from ten to twelve feet in circumference. It has diminutive eyes, and two small circular orifices instead of external ears. The legs are short, and each foot has five toes, connected together by webs.

The Great Morse is a native of the Arctic regions. It is to be found in great numbers on the northern part of the continent of America, and, every spring, vast herds of them visit the Magdalene Islands, in the gulf of St. Laurence. On the latter spot, before they be

gan to be disturbed by the Americans, who kill them for their skin and fat, as many as seven or eight thousand have been known to be collected together.

This animal is of an inoffensive disposition, unless when provoked by being attacked, in which case it becomes truly formidable. It is of a social nature, strongly attached to its companions, and will expose itself even to death to liberate one of them which has been harpooned. A Walrus, on being wounded, has dived beneath the ocean, and risen again with a multitude of others, to attack the boat from whence the injury was inflicted. It is, therefore, not wonderful that the females should display a remarkable degree of fondness for the young ones.

The teeth of the Arctic Walrus weigh from ten to thirty pounds each, and are used as ivory; the fat furnishes from one to two barrels of oil; and the skin is capable of being manufactured into a strong and elastic leather.

THE WHALE-TAILED MORSE.

THIS variety of the Morse tribe, which is also called the Manati, chiefly inhabits that part of the North Pacific which lies between Kamtschatka and America. It lives in families, which unite and form immense droves. All the individuals are exceedingly attached to each other, particularly the males to their females; nothing can terrify or compel the latter to abandon the former. The Manati is sometimes twenty-eight feet long, and weighs as much as eight thousand pounds. It has a small head, double lips, and the mouth is filled with white tubulous bristles, near the junction of the jaws, which prevent the food from escaping out of the mouth with the water. The blubber and the skin are the parts which render this creature an object of pursuit to mankind.

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THE ROUND-TAILED MANATI.

THIS animal frequents most of the Great African rivers, from Senegal to the Cape of Good Hope, and also many of the rivers on the eastern shore of South America. It is often seen in the Amazons nearly a thousand leagues from its mouth. It prefers shallow waters near low land, and is a frolicsome creature, frequently leaping into the air to great heights. The natives of America are said frequently to tame it, and we are told that it delights in music. The female, when struck by the harpoon, seems insensible to her own sufferings, and only anxious to protect her young one, by taking it under her fins or feet. The Round-tailed Manati is about six feet in length, and three or four in circumference. Its flesh is a white, well tasted, and salubrious food. When the thicker parts of the skin are cut into slices and dried, they become exceedingly tough, and form good whips. Of the thinner parts, which have more pliability, the Indians make thongs to fasten together the sides of their canoes.

THE SEA-APE MANATI.

THIS animal was seen, by Mr. Steller, off the coast of America, and was called by him the Sea-Ape. Pennant places it among the Manati tribe; but, as it has a head resembling in some measure that of a dog, with sharp upright ears, Mr. Bingley is disposed to class it with the Seals. The name of Sea-Ape was given to it in consequence of the frolicsome tricks which it played. It swam round and admired the ship, stood erect for a considerable time with one-third of its body out of the water, darted backward and forward repeatedly, under the ship, and brought up in its mouth a sea plant, like the bottle gourd, which it tossed up, caught, and played innumerable antics with.

IN some respects the Seal resembles a quadruped; in others it seems to approach to the nature of a fish. It has a large round head, a broad nose, and a small and short neck. The body is thickest where the neck is joined to it. From thence the animal tapers down to the tail, growing all the way smaller, like a fish. The whole body is covered with a thick shining hair, which looks as if it were entirely rubbed over with oil. But it is in the feet that this animal differs widely from all the rest of the quadruped kind; for they are so stuck on the body, and so covered with a membrane, that they seem to resemble fins rather than feet, and might be pronounced such, did not the claws with which they are pointed show their proper analogy.

These animals differ considerably in size, being found from four to nine feet long; they also vary in their colours; some being black, others white, some spotted, and many yellow. Their chief food consists of fish, which they are remarkably expert in pursuing and catching. In those places where herrings are seen in shoals, the Seals destroy them by thousands; and when these retire, they are obliged to hunt after fish that are stronger, and more capable of evading pur

suit. They are taken for the sake of their skins, and the oil their fat yields. The Seal is capable of being tamed, and is said to be fond of music. The Icelanders believe them to be the offspring of Pharaoh and his host, who were converted into Seals on their being overwhelmed in the Red Sea. Were the race of this creature to cease to exist, the Greenlander would be rendered almost unable to inhabit his rigid clime, as it is principally from them that he derives the necessaries of life. There is scarcely a part of them which is not of the highest utility to him.

THE males of this species are, in general, about eight feet long, but the females are much smaller. Their bodies are very thick, and the colour of the hair is commonly black, but that of the old ones is tipped with gray. The females are of an ash-coloured hue. The nose projects like that of a pug dog, and the eyes are large and prominent. Their voice varies on different occasions; thus, when sporting on their native rocks, they low like a cow; when engaged in battle they growl hideously; after a defeat or receiving a