52 COMPARATIVE ANATOMY OF 



along its surface, it is followed in row-boats with 

 as much difficulty as the Whale itself." Again, 

 Steller says of the Ursine Seals, " They swim with 

 amazing swiftness and strength, even at the rate of 

 eight miles an hour, and when wounded in the 

 water will seize on the boat, carry it along with 

 great impetuosity, almost as if they were flying, 

 and will often sink it." And once more, our intel- 

 ligent countryman Scoresby, " When coming to 

 the surface to respire, the Seals often raise their 

 whole bodies out of the water ; their progress 

 is pretty rapid ; their action appears frisky, and 

 their general conduct is productive of amusement 

 to the spectator. The sailors, when they observe 

 such a shoal, call it a Seal's Wedding."* 



But though the habitual element of these amphi- 

 bia is the water, yet their habit of resorting fre- 

 quently to land must not be overlooked. The 

 most urgent call for this is connected with the 

 bringing forth and suckling their young ; and, be- 

 sides, they frequently resort at other times to the 

 shore, and to ice-islands, and there delight to bask 

 in the sun, or repose from the agitated wave. With 

 limbs, or rather fins, such as we have described, it 

 will at once be seen that the land cannot, by any 

 means, be so natural or suitable a resort ; and this 

 should always be remembered, for they are some- 

 times judged as if they were wholly terrestrial. 

 The fact is, that though properly enough designated 



Arctic Regions. 



