274 



THE FIN-FOOTED ANIMALS. 



its breast, arches its body as a Cat does its back, 

 then rests its weight on the hind quarters, about the 

 loins, and quickly jerks its body forward, throwing 

 its fore part further to the front by this means. It 

 is thus enabled to grovel along at a somewhat rapid 

 pace, by alternately resting its fore and hind parts 

 on the ground, and arching and stretching its body. 

 The legs are, in fact, not called into service in thus 

 moving along the ground, but are only utilized when 

 the animal climbs upward. It also uses its limbs 

 very skillfully for the purpose of dressing and clean- 

 ing its fur, or scratching itself, or to grasp some- 

 thing with them; for instance, when clasping its 

 young to the breast. 



General Traits All Seals are gregarious in a high 



and Habits of measure, and solitary specimens are 



the Seals. hardly ever seen. The more deserted 



the locality, the larger are the troops and families 



sides or their under surface to the kindly rays of the 

 sun; they close their eyes almost completely, yawn 

 and generally deport themselves more like dead 

 masses of flesh than living creatures ; and the 

 regular opening and closing of the nostrils are the 

 only signs of life they give under these circum- 

 stances. When they feel very well, or during the 

 breeding season, they neglect eating for weeks at a 

 time ; but at last hunger urges them to rise and 

 return to the ocean, where their lean body soon 

 regains its pristine roundness and sleekness and 

 again acquires its bolsters of fat. According to 

 Haacke's observations in Frankfort they can endure 

 hunger for at least six weeks. The little Seals are 

 lively, playful and cheerful, but old animals are 

 sulky in disposition, and appear to become degener- 

 ated in consequence of their laziness. It must be 

 admitted, however, that their helplessness on the 



THE COMMON SEAL. The typical animal among the Ordinary or Earless Seals is the Common Seal, which is sometimes also called the Harbor 



Seal. It is one of the smallest hut best known species of the Seal family, has a fur varying in color with different individuals, but usually brown or brown- 

 ish yellow with darker spots. It likes to rest on the beach or rocks bordering on the sea. but its movements on land are very slow and awkward. It is the 

 only Seal at all common on the eastern coast of the United States, and it frequently ascends large rivers, sometimes to a considerable distance above tide 

 water. It is found on both sides of the Atlantic and north Pacific, and also in the Mediterranean. {Phoca vitultna.) 



formed by the Seals; and the less they come in con- 

 tact with Man, the more comfortable and sympa- 

 thetic become these creatures, which exhibit so 

 much timidity in regions frequented by human 

 beings. 



The habits of the Seals are nocturnal. They pre- 

 fer to spend the day on the mainland, sleeping and 

 basking in the sunshine, and then exhibit charac- 

 teristics which are the reverse of those they display 

 in the water. When they are on land one perceives 

 no sign of the agility and speed which mark their 

 actions when they are in their proper element, but 

 on the contrary they present a complete picture of 

 laziness. Anything that disturbs their repose is 

 highly distasteful to them; in fact, some species can 

 scarcely be incited to flee. Blissfully they stretch 

 themselves, alternately presenting their back, their 



ground makes them appear even lazier than they 

 really are. When they see that they are in danger, 

 they speedily enter the water, as I said before; but 

 if peril suddenly overshadows them, they become so 

 frightened that they sigh and tremble, and are so 

 excited that their frantic efforts fail to avert their 

 peril. But if they have to defend females and young 

 ones some of them exhibit great courage. On the 

 loneliest islands some species are so indifferent to 

 strange visitors that they calmly permit the intrud- 

 ers to walk around among them and do not flee; but 

 they develop great wariness after they have once 

 become acquainted with Man, the destroyer of the 

 animal world. 



Of their senses, that of hearing is excellent, in 

 spite of the absence or small size of the external 

 ear; sight and smell are less strongly developed. 



