With a sudden sweep of its fore-flipper, it hurled Ben over upon his back, sending the knife flying from his hand.
"The Wreckers of Sable Island"
J. Macdonald Oxley
But from behind, the rounded head, the shapely neck, the little baby manatee held carefully in the curve of a flipper, made legends of mermaids seem very reasonable; and if I had been an early voyageur, I should assuredly have had stories to tell of mer-kiddies as well.
"Edge of the Jungle"
William Beebe
The leaf offered safe haven to any creature that could leap or fly to its surface; but its life would be short indeed if the casual whim of every baby crocodile or flipper of a young manatee met with no opposition.
"Edge of the Jungle"
William Beebe