ARCTIC ZOOLOGY. 99 



the covering of the boats and tents, and it serves also for 

 beds. The fat is the chief luxury of the Greenlander's 

 habitation ; and the tendons supply the place of thread, 

 being easily separated into very fine fibres, and not at all 

 injured by water. 



The phoca vitulina, like the other animals of its kind, 

 is gregarious, or rather they live in families, the old male 

 being attended by his progeny for several generations. 

 The teeth are very sharp, and the animal bites terribly, 

 sometimes to the destruction of the poor Greenlander, as 

 has been mentioned already. The habits of the seal are 

 filthy, and singularly mischievous. A perpetual tyrant 

 over weaker animals, he is also an object of constant 

 pursuit with others. The white bear is constantly on the 

 watch to surprise the seal when sleeping on the ice ; but 

 the latter has generally safe resources, taking possession of 

 a single piece of ice from which he may command a good 

 view of all around, and so that the proximity to the water 

 may aftbrd a ready escape. Sometimes they contrive to 

 make holes in the field ice, through which they crawl, and 

 never venture far from that situation for fear of being sur- 

 prised by the bear or the Uskee-me. They are easily 

 stunned by a stroke on the forehead ; but from this state 

 they often recover ; and, if not immediately dispatched, are 

 desperate in their revenge. The phoca vitulina, from con- 

 stitution, is subject to the most violent impulses of anger, 



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