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THE POPULAR EDUCATOR. 



RECREATIVE NATURAL HISTORY. 



THE SEAL AND THE WALRUS. 



IT would be a curious thing, if we could only know it, to learn 

 how man is regarded by the rest of the animal creation. His 

 wants appear to be opposed to the well-being of all other back- 

 boned animals, so that upon the whole we should probably 

 find ourselves to be characterised in one word as tyrants. For 

 we never scruple to hurl our artificial thunder at any beast we 

 wish to rob of its coat, and in this way the seal has been a 

 heavy sufferer. Seal-skin jackets for women, and caps and 

 waistcoats for men, have been in high favour for a long time, 

 consequently there has been every year an immense offering of 

 these inoffensive animals on the altar of Fashion. Indeed, to 



like than that of any other animal, if we except those marine 

 mammals which we have already spoken of (Vol. II, p. 223). 

 Instead of fins, however, it has four limbs, which one may 

 regard as oars or paddles for regulating its movements in the 

 water. The couple of fore limbs are so short that little more 

 than the paw advances from the body, and the hind limbs are 

 directed backwards, so as to look like a continuation of the 

 body. Between the short hind limbs there is a small tail. We 

 have already referred to two kinds of carnivores, viz., the 

 digitigrade, or those which walk on their toes, like the cat; 

 and the plantigrade, which walk on the soles of their feet, like 

 the bear. The seal presents us with a kind of foot different 

 from either, and which, while admirably adapted for progression 

 in the water, serves but poorly for purposes of locomotion on 



A COLONY OF FUR SEALS. 



such a degree has the slaughter been carried on, that it has 

 been gravely asserted the seal would soon cease to exist on the 

 face of the earth, and be numbered only among those extinct 

 animals whose bones are now carefully preserved in our 

 museums. Sterner demands than European or Chinese love of 

 a particular kind of dress have led the Eskimo to make a 

 perpetual war against it, if we might give the name of war to 

 a one-sided conflict in which the poor seal is comparatively 

 helpless. It is, however, as necessary to the Eskimo as the 

 sheep and cow to us of more temperate regions. To him its 

 flesh is a palatable food ; its fat he consumes for light during 

 those long and terribly dreary nights of Arctic lands, and for 

 fire during times of cold so intense that it not only makes all 

 water solid, but congeals the mercury which to us is always a 

 liquid within our thermometers ; the fish he eats he makes 

 tasty with seal-oil; he sews with thread made out of seal's 

 sinews ; makes his shirts and tent-curtains with the skin of its 

 entrails ; boils up its blood with other ingredients for soup ; 

 and covers his boats and tents with seal-skins. 



The body of the seal is elongated and conical, and more fish- 



land. The bones of the fingers and toes are separate, but 

 enclosed in a skin which extends to their tips. The claws only 

 are outside and free. Both hands and feet answer admirably 

 for fins, to which they have a certain amount of resemblance, 

 hence seals are spoken of as pinniped, or fin-footed carnivores. 

 It is a curious thing to see how the foot of the seal differs from 

 that of other animals, and the relation it bears to them. At 

 the one extreme we have the compressed foot of the deer and 

 ox. which are especially adapted for land transit ; and at the 

 other extreme the expanded foot of the seal, specially adapted 

 for locomotion in water. Intermediate, the feet of the otter 

 and frog show a form equally serviceable in and out of 

 water. Having she form of foot which is of most use in water, 

 we find the seal accordingly to be the most expert of swimmers. 

 Its mode of progression is essentially fish-like. The flippers or 

 arms would appear to be only used in balancing its movements 

 and changing position, while the hind feet are employed for 

 propelling it through the water. When the stroke is being 

 given the fin-like feet are expanded to the utmost, so as to 

 present the largest amount of surface to the water. It has 



