THE SEAL. 181 



ed with short hair of various colours, smooth and shining. It 

 has five toes on each foot, which are armed with strong sharp 

 claws, whereby it is enabled to clirnb the rocks, on which it de- 

 lights to bask in the sun. On the unpeopled shores of the icy 

 seas, under the arctic and antarctic circles, and still nearer to 

 the poles, these animals may be seen by thousands on the rocks, 

 or on the sandy beach. The female sits on her hind-legs while 

 she suckles her young. The growth of seals is amazingly rapid, 

 and the dam, after bringing them forth on the land, soon carries 

 them with her into the sea, and teaches them to swim; when they 

 are weary, she places them on her back. The old ones are very 

 attentive to their young, which in their turn are docile and obe- 

 dient. 



The flesh of the seal was formerly esteemed a delicacy, al- 

 though now but seldom eaten. That it was once admitted to the 

 tables of the great, is evident, from its constituting an article in 

 the bill of fare of that sumptuous entertainment given by the 

 Archbishop Neville, in the reign of Edward IV., though perhaps 

 scarcely a peasant in the kingdom would at this day be willing 

 to make it a part of his dinner. Such is the change of manners, 

 such the influence of custom. 



If the flesh of this animal be fallen into disrepute, the oil pro- 

 duced by its fat is perhaps held in higher estimation, and sought 

 with greater avidity, than at the period alluded to, or in any of 

 the preceding ages : a young seal yields above eight gallons of 

 this oil. Their skins are also very valuable, and are made into a 

 beautiful sort of leather, used for shoes and various other pur- 

 poses, so that if the seal be no longer considered as a delicacy 

 of the table, it forms an important article of trade. 



When taken young, these animals are capable of being tamed, 

 and will even answer to a name like a dog. A seal was exhibited 

 in London, in the year 1750, which would answer to its keeper's 

 call, take food from his hand, stretch out its neck as if to salute 

 him, and crawl in and out of the water at command. Another 

 animal of the same species was so far domesticated, that though 

 taken out to sea every day, and thrown in from a boat, it inva- 

 riably swam after its master, and allowed itself to be retaken 

 without any attempt to escape. When at home, it was generally 

 kept in a vessel of salt water, but sometimes crawled about the 

 house, and even approached the fire. 



There are, as already observed, several varieties of this ani- 

 mal, of which the most remarkable are the Leonine and Ursine 

 seals ; but these we shall, for brevity sake, omit, especially as 

 their general characteristics and commercial importance are 

 nearly the same. We shall therefore pass forward to the last 

 tribe of quadrupeds, which we wish to recommend to notice. 



Q 



