CARNIVORA. 97 



on the approach of the boat r would awaken those next to them, 

 and tjie alarm being thus gradually communicated, the whole 

 herd would be awake presently ; but they were seldom in a 

 hurry to get away till after they had been once fired at ; they 

 would then tumble over one another into the sea, in the utmost 

 confusion, and if we did not at the first discharge, kill those we 

 fired at, we generally lost them, though mortally wounded. The 

 dam, when in the water, holds the young one between her fore 

 arms.&quot; The chief use of the walrus to man, is in its tusks, 

 which yield the finest ivory, and in its abundant blubber, or fat, 

 which yields oil. They, and indeed all the marine mammalia 

 which are found in the Arctic seas, have abundant fat, as their 

 defence against the cold. A beautiful and striking evidence of 

 kind and intelligent design, of which numberless instances are 

 presented to the student of Natural History, is seen in the fact 

 that immediately beneath the skin, a thick layer envelopes the 

 body, and being a bad conductor of caloric, besides other advan 

 tages already referred to, prevents the vital heat from passing off. 

 With the Polar Bear, U. Maritimus, the Walruses have frequent 

 and desperate conflicts. They feed upon shell fish, arid marine 

 vegetables, and perhaps a further use of their tusks is to root up 

 their food from the spot to which it adheres. Their flesh, like 

 that of the seal, is highly valued by the inhabitants of Arctic re- 

 gions, and northern voyagers have often found it a most accepta 

 ble repast. 



Give the derivation and meaning of AMPHIBIA. To what animals alone 

 does it strictly apply ? To what others is it commonly given? From what 

 is PHOCIDAE derived ? What is said of their adaptation to a watery resi 

 dence ? Describe the Seal. What is said of its habits ? How is it enabled 

 to remain in water a long time without injury? Where are Seals most nu 

 merous? How many species does the genus include? Where have they 

 been found in this country ? What is their size ? What does Dr. Kane say 

 of these animals? To what people are they of inestimable importance? 

 Relate the particulars which are given respecting them. What has occa 

 sioned the stories respecting Tritons, Syrens and Mermaids? What is said 

 of the Harp Seal ? Give some particulars of the Bearded, Hooded and Ele 

 phant Seals. What is said of the SEA LION? Why is it so called? Give 

 some account of the SEA BEAR. What animal does the Walrus resemble ? 

 What other names has it ? What is its distinguishing peculiarity ? How 

 long are the tusks ? Give its general characteristics. What is said of its 

 intelligence ? What is its length ? Where is it found ? What are its 

 habits and disposition? With what are its hind feet furnished? What 

 docs Captain Cook relate respecting Walruses? Who was Captain Cook? 

 Ans. A celebrated English circumnavigator, who was killed by the natives 

 at 0\vyhee f Sandwich Islands, in 1779. What is their chief use to man ? 

 What evidence do they give of kind and intelligent design on the part of the 



