194 MONK. SEAL. 



water fish, and usually spends nine or ten consecu- 

 tive hours in water ten inches deep. At the close 

 of the day the water is removed, that the animal 

 may be dry during the night, and, in spite of this 

 artificial mode of life, it enjoys excellent health. 



" It would be a mistake to suppose that Seals are 

 deficient in intelligence ; on the contrary, it is cer- 

 tain that they have more than most quadrupeds, 

 more even than dogs originally. They (some of 

 them) are tamed without difficulty ; they recognise 

 those who feed them, and become attached to them ; 

 they also understand and obey them, and finally 

 forget their former independence, and, by a second 

 nature, enjoy their society with men. 



" The length of this animal is between seven and 

 eight feet, and the general form is very like that of 

 the Common Seal. Its colour in the water is black 

 on the head, back, tail, and upper part of the feet, 

 whilst the chest, sides, and belly, and the under por- 

 tion of the neck, tail, paws, and sides of the head, 

 are of a yellowish light-grey. When it is dry, the 

 black portions are not so deeply coloured, and the 

 white parts are more yellow. The skin is every- 

 where of a slatey colour. The tail is three inches 

 long, and without movement ; the eyes are large, 

 and the cornea is very flat in comparison of other 

 quadrupeds ; two hairs, similar to those of the lip, 

 are seen above each eye ; the pupil exactly resem- 

 bles that of the domestic cat ; the nostrils are natu- 

 rally closed, and open only at the will of the animal ; 

 the ear has no trace of an external auricle ; the ori- 



