24 URSINE SEAL. 



at a birth. The skins of these animals are valuable, both 

 as furs and leather. 



They are from four to six feet in length. The head is 

 large and round, and the body tapers, gradually, from 

 the shoulders to the tail. The eyes are large. On each; 

 side of the mouth there are strong and waved bristles.! 

 The tongue is cleft at the end. There are no external 

 ears. The legs are very short, and all the feet are| 

 webbed. The neck is smooth. They vary considerably! 

 in colour, being dusky, whitish, grey, black, or spot-i 

 ted. 

 . 



Ursine Seal. In the sea no animals can be more 

 active than these, swimming, in pursuit of their prey, 

 with wonderful strength and impetuosity. On the shores i 

 of Kamtschatka and Behring's Island, where they are very 

 numerous, each family may be observed perfectly distinct I 

 from the rest. The approach of man does not alarm i 

 them ; and if a stone be thrown^at them, they will seize i 

 it with their teeth. They are excessively quarrelsome, j 

 particularly the males, for the possession of favourite i 

 females. Towards their offspring they show a great j 

 warmth of affection, and will defend them to the last j 

 extremity, when attacked. They delight in basking in j 

 the sun, holding up and wagging their hind legs, as a dog 

 does its tail. The young ones are generally produced i 

 in the months of June and July ; and, when about half j 

 grown, are as sportive as puppies. The old males live 

 in perfect solitude, and become fat, peevish, and melan- 

 choly. 



These animals are usually from six to eight feet in 

 length ; and the males are considerably larger than the 

 females. The fore legs are about two feet long, and the 

 hind legs somewhat shorter. The general colour of the 



