FUR SEAL. 



IN all the seas in which they are found, the seals frequent 

 the shores only at a certain season of the year, and appear 

 to disperse themselves more generally over the waters during 

 the remaining portion of it, which is usually much longer 

 than that in which they throng to the shores. Those of the 

 south resort chiefly to the dreary and inhospitable isles which 

 lie off the southern extremity of the American continent, 

 though they also come in considerable numbers to the shore, 

 especially the south-west, which is much broken by inlets of 

 water and little isles with channels between. The south of 

 Africa is rather warm for their coming to it in any conside- 

 rable numbers ; but they resort in formidable array to the 

 south part of Australia, and especially to Bass's Strait, where 

 (390) 



