ANIMALS OP NOETH AMERICA. 55 



All the species of seals live in herds or families along the 

 sea-shore, and are fond of sunning themselves, lying on the 

 beach, rocks, or ice-banks. When they do this in situations 

 in which they are apprehensive of danger, instinct has taught 

 them to take the precaution of posting a sentinel to give alarm, 

 when he sees anything to excite apprehension ; besides which, 

 while sleeping, the seal raises its head at frequent intervals, 

 and looks around as if to observe that all is safe within its 

 range of vision. In places where they rarely experience dis- 

 turbance, they sleep very profoundly and are easily surprised. 

 They are in general very tenacious of life, and survive wounds 

 which would kill most animals ; but are much more easily 

 dispatched by blows on the head, especially on the nose, than 

 any other animals. 



Seals are very extensively diffused, for though they seem 

 to prefer cold climates, there is scarcely any sea on the shores 

 of which they are not occasionally to be met with. The old 

 Dutch word " robyn," a seal, is still met with along the north- 

 ern coast, in such terms as " robin's reef," " robin's head," 

 &c. They are most numerous in the Polar and Arctic 

 regions, furnishing the Esquimaux with food, clothing, and 

 light. Langsdorff, in his voyage round the world, thus speaks 

 of them : " This animal forms such an essential article to the 

 subsistence of the Esquimaux, that it may truly be said of 

 them, they would not know how to live without them. Of its 

 skin they make clothes, carpets, thongs, shoes, and house .1 old 

 utensils ; nay their canoes are made of a wooden skeleton 

 with the skin of the seal stretched over it, * * * there is no 

 part of the animal that is not turned to some use." 



The hunting of seals is consequently prosecuted with great 

 eagerness by the natives of the Polar latitudes. Parry gives 

 an amusing description of the ceremonies attendant on a seal 

 feast among the Esquimaux. He says, " Before cutting the 

 animal up they pour into its mouth, as it lies on its back, a 

 little water, and touch each nipper, and the middle of the 



