manatus

The sea-cow, or fish-tailed walrus, an animal of the genus Trichechus, which grows to an enormous size; sometimes it is said, to the length twenty three feet. Of this animal there are two varieties, the australis, or lamentin, and borealis, or whale-tailed manati. It has fore feet palmated, and furnished with claws, but the hind part ends in a tail like that of a fish. The skin is of a dark color, the eyes small, and instead of teeth, the mouth is furnished with hard bones, extending the whole length of the jaws. It never leaves the water, but frequents the mouths of rivers, feeding on grass that grows in the water.