154 NATURAL HISTORY IN ANECDOTE. 



the whole space is occupied. Frequently a struggle ensues 

 between two males for the possession of the same female, 

 and both seizing her at once, pull her in two, or terribly 

 lacerate her with their teeth. When the space is all filled, 

 the old male walks around complacently reviewing his family, 

 scolding those who crowd or disturb the others, and fiercely 

 driving off all intruders. This surveillance always keeps him 

 actively occupied." After the birth of their young which 

 takes place towards the end of July, the old males who have 

 been four months without food, go to some distance from 

 the shore to feed, teaching the young to swim on their 

 return. " By the last of October the seals begin to leave the 

 islands in small companies. The males going last and by 

 themselves." 



The Walrus. The Walrus (Trichechus rosmarus) is a large and 

 unwieldy creature. It bears a stronger resemblance to the 

 seal than to any other quadruped, but it is distinguished by 

 the proportions of its body and its elephant-like tusks. Vast 

 herds formerly frequented the shores of the islands scattered 

 between America and Asia, the coasts of Davis's Straits and 

 those of Hudson's Bay. They have been found as far south 

 as the Magdalen Islands in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Now 

 they are not met with in great numbers, except on the shores 

 of Spitzbergen and the remotest northern borders of America. 

 They attain to a very large size. The head is oval, short, 

 small, and flat in front, having the eyes set in deep sockets 

 so as to be moved forwards, or retracted at pleasure. On 

 land the Walrus is a slow and clumsy animal, but in the 

 water its motions are sufficiently quick and easy. When 

 attacked, the Walrus is both fierce and formidable, and if in 

 company with its young, becomes very furious, attempting to 

 destroy its enemies by rising and hooking its tusks over 

 the sides of the boat, in order to sink it. 



Captain Cook thus describes a herd of walruses he met 

 with off the north coast of America. He says: "They lie 



