INTRODUCTION. 



WE purpose, in our present volume, to introduce 

 to the notice of our readers those animals which 

 most Naturalists class under the name of AMPHIBIA, 

 and, more properly, as Amphibious Carnivora. 

 This interesting group consists of two families, the 

 Walrus or Sea-Horse, and those animals which 

 are popularly known under the name of Seals, in- 

 cluding a vast variety of creatures which differ greatly 

 from each other. All these animals are mainly aqua- 

 tic, but frequently also resort to land, where they re- 

 main for days, and even for weeks and months. To 

 the consideration of these Amphibia, we mean to add 

 that of the HERBIVOROUS CETACEA ; not because, 

 with some Zoologists, we judge this to be their 

 more natural position, but, we are free to confess, 

 solely for convenience sake; because, though, in a 

 former volume, we were solicitous to associate the 

 herbivorous with the ordinary Cete, or true Whales, 

 vet we found that the latter formed so extensive and 

 important a subject, that, in doing justice to them, 



