138 ODOB^NUS EOSMAEUS ATLANTIC WALEUS. 



drag its Luge body on to tLe ice. In progressing on sLore it 

 aids its clumsy progression by tLeir means."* 



Dr. Kane observes: "Even wLen not excited, Le manages Lis 

 tusks bravely. TLey are so strong tLat lie uses tLein to grapple 

 tLe rocks with, and climbs steeps of ice and laud wLicL would be 

 inaccessible to Lim witLout tLeir aid. He ascends in tLis way 

 rocky islands tLat are sixty and a Lnudred feet above tLe level 

 tLe of sea; and I Lave myself seen Lim in tLese elevated posi- 

 tions basking witL Lis young in tLe cool sunsLine of August and 

 September.'' t 



ENEMIES. In respect to tLe enemies of tLe Walruses, man is, 

 of course, tLeir cLief foe ; but, after man, all writers rank tLe Polar 

 Bears as tLeir principal adversaries. In tLeir conflicts witL tLis 

 formidable antagonist, tLe Walrus is usually tLe reputed victor. 

 Says Mr. Brown : " TLe Eskimo used to tell many tales of tLeir 

 battles ; and though I Lave never been fortunate euougL to see 

 any of tLese scenes, yet I Lave heard tLe wLalers give most 

 circumstantial accounts of tLe Walrus drowning tLe Bear, etc. 

 TLese accounts may be taken merely for wLat tLey are worth :, 

 but still this sLows tLat tLey are not wholly confined to Eskimo 

 fable, and ought therefore not to be hastily thrown aside. There 

 is no doubt, however, that the Bear and Walrus are (like all 

 the Pinnipedia) but indifferent friends." | 



Captain Hall, however, relates the following story, rife among 

 tLe Innuits, of a very ingenious way tLe Polar Bear Las of kill- 

 ing the Walrus. The bear is said to take up Lis position on a 

 cliff to wLicL Walruses are accustomed to resort in fine weatLer 

 to bask in tLe sun on tLe rocks at its base. TLe Bear, mounted 

 on tLe cliff, watches his opportunity, and " throws down upon 

 tLe animal's Lead a large rock, calculating tLe distance and 

 tLe curve witL astonisliiug accuracy, and tlius crushing the tliick,. 

 bullet-proof skull. If tLe Walrus is not instantly killed simply 

 stunned tLe Bear rushes down to the Walrus, seizes the rock, 

 and hammers away at the head till the skull is broken. A fat 

 feast follows. Unless tLe Bear is very hungry, it eats only the 

 blubber of the Walrus, Seal and Whale." Captain Hall accom- 

 panies Lis account Avith a picture of a Bear in tLe act of Lurling a 

 stone upon tLe Lead of a Walrus ! TLe story, doubtless AvitLout 



*Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond., 1868, p. 430. iProc. Zool. Soc. Loud., 1868, p. 430. 

 t Arctic Exploration, vol. i, p. 415. Arctic Eesearches, etc., p. ->\1. 



