70 THE PIED SEAL. 



was frequently heard to snore at a very consi- 

 derable distance. Its repose was so sound, that its 

 master could easily approach without awaking it ; 

 and it often happened that he had a difficulty in 

 rousing it, unless, at the same time, he put a fish of 

 some kind to its nose. In this case, however, the ani- 

 mal soon recovered its wonted vivacity. If the fish 

 was withdrawn to a little distance, it would raise its 

 head, and the anterior part of its body ; and, stand- 

 ing tiptoe, on its fore-feet, would endeavour to 

 reach it. This was the only kind of food that it 

 could be induced to eat ; and of carp and eels, (the 

 fish it was usually fed with,) it was most fond of 

 the former. Care was always taken to roll them in 

 salt before they were offered; and about thirty 

 pounds weight of these fish, raw, and thus covered 

 with salt, were necessary for its daily subsistence. 

 All the eels were swallowed whole, as well as a few 

 of the carp that were first presented. But when the 

 animal began to be satiated, it gutted the others 

 before it ate them. For this purpose it seized them 

 by the head, which it crushed between its teeth; 

 then, with singular address, it ripped open the 

 belly, emptied it of its contents, and, in conclu- 

 sion, swallowed the remainder of the bodies 

 whole. 



Its owner informed M. de Buffon that he had, 

 occasionally, kept it for many days, and once for 

 even more than a month, out of water; but that 

 care was taken to wash it every evening with clean 



water, 



