dugong
(ˈduːgɒŋ)
[a. Malay name dūyong.
Barchewitz, 1751, gives dugung as the name in the Philippine isle of Leyte; this was adopted 1765 by Buffon (Hist. Nat. XIII. 374) as dugon, and by Gmelin, Linn. Syst. Nat. ed. 13, 1788, as dugong.]
A large aquatic herbivorous mammal (Halicore dugong, order Sirenia) inhabiting the Indian seas.
| 1880 G. Shaw Gen. Zool. I. 239 Trichecus Dugong (Gmel.). Dugon (Buffon). Indian Walrus (Pennant Quadr.). This species, in the Philippine Islands, is said to be called by the name of Dugung. 1820 Sir S. Raffles in Phil. Trans. CX. 174 (title) Some account of the Dugong. Ibid. 180 The Malays..distinguish two varieties, the duyong bamban, and the duyong bantal; the latter much thicker and shorter in proportion. 1835 Kirby Hab. & Inst. Anim. II. xxiv. 496 The Dugong..is the only animal yet known that grazes at the bottom of the sea. 1849 Sk. Nat. Hist., Mammalia III. 126 We have..alluded to the dugong or duyong, and the lamantin..belonging to the pachydermatous order. 1889 H. H. Romilly Verandah in N. Guinea 189 On the surface of the water there were several dugong asleep. |