WALRUS. 223 



and their tusks, which yield ivory of the best 

 quality; but of late, whether on account of the 

 diminution of their numbers, or their having be- 

 taken themselves to less accessible tracts, they are 

 seldom obtained. They repose on the ice or on 

 rocks, associating in droves, and are of a peaceable 

 disposition, neither molesting other animals, nor 

 given to quarrel among themselves. 



Whether this animal formerly frequented our 

 Northern coasts cannot now be ascertained ; and I 

 am not aware of its occurrence of late years in 

 more than two instances. An individual is stated 

 to have been killed in Orkney in June 1825 ; and 

 in December 1817 another was shot as it reposed 

 on a rock at Caolas Stocnis, in the island of Harris. 

 This individual I had the fortune to see, but not 

 until after it had been mutilated. It was about ten 

 feet in length, and yielded two barrels of blubber. 

 The head measured fifom the occiput direct to the 

 most prominent part of the nose 13J inches, its 

 breadth four inches above the eyes 8J, between the 

 eyes 8 ; the distance from the nose to the mouth 

 5J ; the nostrils ovate, and separated by a thin sep- 

 tum ; the eyes 1 in diameter. In the upper jaw 

 were four teeth on each side, and the same number 

 in the lower, all very short, and slightly rounded. 

 The two large canine teeth measured from their 

 insertion in the gum to the apex 8, the breadth of 

 the mouth between them 3, the distance between 

 their points 6J. The ears were four inches behind 

 the eyes. The tongue was of a triangular form, to 

 correspond with the roof of the mouth. The skin 



