WHALES AND SEALS 275 



for miles out into Ross Sea, the first seal found occasion 

 to come up into daylight through one of the numerous 

 pressure cracks in the bay. To us this was the first 

 sure sign of spring; for the seal it was a leap into 

 eternity. 



Of the three different species we met with — the 

 Weddell, the sea-leopard, and the crab-eater — the first- 

 named was by far the most numerous. The Weddell 

 seal is an extremely awkward and clumsy animal, that 

 fully understands the art of not hurrying ; this, of course, 

 applies only to its movements out of the water. A full- 

 grown bull is almost as large as a walrus, and must 

 certainly weigh something like 8 hundredweight. A 

 ridiculously small head is set upon its heavy body, and 

 its mouth is provided with teeth about as innocuous as 

 those of the domestic cow. The skins vary from light 

 grey to brownish black. 



The sea-leopard was far more rare in these parts. In 

 the bay itself it was not found; the few specimens we 

 saw were met with in the pack-ice. As far as I know, 

 we only secured a couple of them. The sea-leopard is a 

 far more dangerous fellow than his cousin the Weddell 

 seal. He is almost as big, but his body is very much 

 more lithe and agile ; he has a mouth full of long, sharp 

 teeth, and is always ready to use this weapon. He 

 is not to be approached without a certain caution, 

 and in the water he must be an extremely unpleasant 

 opponent. 



