140 NATURE'S TEACHINGS. 



to attract the mother, and when she has discovered its con- 

 dition the young Seal is cautiously drawn up on the ice. The 

 mother follows, too intent on rescuing her young to think 

 about herself, and, as soon as she is within reach, she is struck 

 with the harpoon. 



The Polar Bear, however, preceded the Esquimaux in this 

 mode of hunting. The young Seal lives in a hemispherical 

 dwelling scooped out of the snow, and communicating with the 

 water by means of a hole through the ice. This dwelling will 

 be described and figured when we come to the subject of 

 Architecture. 



Finding out, by scent or some other means, the habitation 

 of the young Seal, the Polar Bear leaps upon the snow, bring- 

 ing his feet together, and with his enormous weight breaking 

 through the roof of the dwelling. He instantly captures the 

 young Seal before it can make its escape. Then, driving the 

 talons of one paw into its hind flipper, he lets it into the hole, 

 and allows it to flounder about in the water. When the mother 

 is attracted to her young, he draws his prey slowly up on the 

 ice. The anxious mother follows, and is at once secured by the 

 talons of the other foot, as is represented in the illustration. 



THE FALL-TRAP. 



THIS is a stratagem which is often employed in War and 

 Hunting, though its use is mostly confined to the latter. 

 Schoolboys often avail themselves of this principle when they 

 wish to play a practical joke, and to amuse themselves by 

 setting a " Booby-trap." This trap is easily manufactured, and 

 consists of a partially opened door, with a basin or jug of water 

 balanced upon it. The natural result is, that any one who 

 opens the door without proper precautions receives the jug and 

 its contents upon his head, and is thoroughly drenched. 



On the right hand of the illustration is seen a curious spear, 

 the butt of which, instead of being lighter than the head, is 

 very much heavier. The weight, however, is exactly where it 

 is wanted, and indeed, in actual use, is trebled by a mass of 

 tenacious clay, kneaded upon it. This figure is taken from a 

 very perfect specimen in my own collection. 



It is an African weapon, not used for war, but for hunting, 



