THE AMPHIBIOUS CARNIVORA. 59 



required as much for defence as for a covering.* 

 Forster makes a similar statement ; and to these 

 remarks we subjoin a curious observation of Crantz, 

 in relation to the Walrus. " As I was at first 

 searching for the eye, and could not find it, a Green- 

 land boy pressed the skin, and out sprung the eye; 

 so I found I could squeeze them in and out to the 

 depth of an inch, from whence I might conclude 

 that these creatures also had a shelter for their eyes, 

 in stormy weather, by drawing them into a safe re- 

 pository," Finally, it is the same with the orifices 

 of the ears : by means of a peculiar and somewhat 

 intricate structure, described by Rosenthal, and to 

 which we can here do nothing more than refer, it 

 will be found that these apertures too can be closed, 

 and thus made impervious to the greatest pressure 

 from the superincumbent fluid.f 



One or two circumstances regarding the digestive 

 functions of the Amphibia, and more especially 

 their alleged long protracted fasts, are highly curi- 

 ous. We premise, however, that we are not at all 

 sure how far the opinion now generally promulgated, 

 that they are solely carnivorous, is correct. At all 

 events, it should be noticed that the testimony 

 of many observers is against this opinion. Thus 

 Crantz, " fish and marine vegetables are the food of 

 the Walrus ; v and Pernetty, " seals live upon fish, 

 sea-birds, and herbs ;" and Peron, " in the stomachs 



Academic Annotationes, Lib. iii. 



t For some interesting particulars concerning the comparatire 

 anatomy of the group, see an interesting paper of Lesson's in Diet. 

 Class, t. xiii 403, 



