ANIMALS OP NORTH AMERICA. 57 



" that all speculations, not based on actual examination of an 

 animal in its living state, can lead to nothing else than a mere 

 multiplication of words." 



THE GREAT SEAL (Phoca barbata) which attains ten or 

 twelve feet in length, is found in the Greenland seas, and 

 northern extremity of America. Very little is known of its 

 habits, owing to its extreme timidity and watchfulness, 

 plunging at once through its hole in the ice, on the approach 

 of danger. Acerbi says, that " neither their teeth nor paws 

 have any share in making these holes, but that it is performed 

 solely by the breath." These openings are kept clear, but 

 the surface is allowed to freeze over partially, so as to con- 

 ceal them effectually, except from very experienced eyes. 



THE HARP SEAL (Phoca Groenlandica) is met with princi- 

 pally on the coasts of Labrador ; it is remarkable for 

 changing its color annually till it attains a mature age, being 

 in the first year cream-colored, in the second gray, in the 

 third and fourth spotted, and in the fifth it has a black 

 mark on its back like two crescents with their horns 

 uniformly directed towards each other. 



THE F(ETID SEAL (P. fcetida) frequents the fixed ice near 

 the land, never relinquishing its haunts when old. The 

 adults are remarkably foetid, the odor even tainting their 

 flesh. It is found occasionally in Labrador, but its chief 

 haunts are the shores of Greenland. 



THE URSINE SEAL (P. ursina'y is a large animal, averaging 

 eight feet when grown to maturity. This species, though 

 gregarious, keep in separate families, each male having his 

 seraglio of from eight to thirty females, over which he 

 watches with incessant jealousy ; it is very fierce. The only 

 part of America in which this is found is the group of islands 

 between this Continent and Kamschatka ; and, like the sea 

 otter, is only seen between the 50th and 60th parallels. 

 They are there migratory, arriving at those islands in June, 

 and remaining till September. They differ from all other 



