CHAPTER X 



MAMMALS 



A LTHOUGH all animal life is believed to trace 

 /-\ its first beginnings to the sea, very few of the 

 higher animals — the Mammalia — can be regarded 

 as purely aquatic. With the conquest of land most of the 

 mammals seem to have taken to a chiefly terrestrial ex- 

 istence, those which are usually called maritime principally 

 haunting the sea-shore and taking only to the water in 

 search of food. In this category fall polar bears, sea 

 otters, seals, sea-lions, walruses, etc. 



The Whales and Manatees have alone found their sole 

 sustenance afloat, and it is now generally accepted that the 

 Whales are descended from land animals which took to an 

 aquatic life in order to escape predaceous foes on shore. 

 The more primitive Whales certainly have more in common 

 with terrestrial forms than have any of the Whales we know 

 to-day. If indeed the W T hale sought safety in the waters 

 it must be admitted that their recent history presents a 

 tragic example of " out of the frying-pan and into the 

 fire." Modern whaling methods, as will be described 

 later, are fast ushering the world's largest mammals into 

 the ranks of the extinct, man having devised means of 

 slaughter far transcending the worst efforts of any natural 

 foe. 



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