Croutarg of Natural f& 



601 



per analogy. The limbs, in fact, are con- 

 verted into oars and paddles. The anterior 

 pair have the arm and fore-arm go short, 

 that little more than the paw advances from 

 the body. The hinder limbs are directed 

 backwards, so as almost to seem like a con- 

 tinuation of the body ; the thigh and leg 

 are very short, and the foot is formed on the 

 same plan as the fore-paw, the toes being 

 in contact, however, and the web folded, 

 when it is not in use as a paddle, but being 

 spread out when the animal is swimming. 

 When on land, or on masses of ice, the 

 movements of the Seal are particularly 

 awkward, its body being forced onward by 

 the action of the fore-limbs only, and the 

 wriggling motion of the abdominal muscles ; 

 they accordingly seldom venture from the 

 shore, but usually bask on the rocks ; and 

 when disturbed, plunge immediately to the 

 bottom of the water. 



The Seals live in herds, more or less nume- 

 rous, along the shores of the sea ; and upon 

 uninhabited coasts they bring forth and 

 suckle their young, and exhibit the most 

 tender solicitude for their welfare. They 

 are easily tamed, become strongly attached 

 to their keepers, recognise them at a dis- 

 tance, and seem to be endowed with a very 

 considerable share of intelligence. The 

 form of their teeth and jaws shows them to 

 be carnivorous ; and their food consists of 

 fish, crabs, and sea-birds, which they are 

 enabled to surprise while swimming. 



SEAL. (PHOOA V1TTJL.INA.) 



Seals swim with great rapidity and ease ; 

 and by a peculiar arrangement of their 

 bloodvessels, nearly similar to that which 

 exists in the whale tribe, they can remain 

 under water for a considerable time. There 

 are many species of these animals ; some are 

 found in almost every quarter of the globe, 

 but chiefly in the frigid or temperate re- 

 gions ; and they exist in vast numbers in 

 the seas round Spitzbergcn, and on the coasts 

 of Labrador and Newfoundland. Their 

 habits are migratory ; and it is known that 

 at least four species visit the shores of Bri- 

 tain. Quadrupeds are in general contented 

 with their native plains and forests ; seldom 

 wandering far from those situations where 

 they were produced, unless compelled by 

 necessity or fear ; but Seals frequently shift 

 their places of abode, and are seen in my- 

 riads directing their course from one con- 

 tinent to another. On the northern coasts 

 of Greenland they are observed to retire in 

 July, and to return again in September. 

 These animals produce two or three young 

 at a time ; and they suckle them for six or 

 seven weeks, generally in the cavernous re- 

 of rocks ; after which they take to 



the sea. The young are remarkably docile : 

 they recognise and are obedient to the voice 

 of their dams amidst the numerous clamours 

 of the flock, and mutually assist each other 

 when in danger or distress. Thus early ac- 

 customed to subjection, they continue to 

 live in society, hunt and herd together ; 

 and have a variety of cries by which they 

 encourage or pursue, express apprehension 

 or success. When incited by natural desire, 

 however, their social spirit seems to forsake 

 them ; they then flght most desperately ; 

 and the victorious male always keeps a 

 watchful eye over those females whom his 

 prowess has secured. In some of the spe- 

 cies there is a remarkable disproportion in 

 the sexes ; and some also are far more pug- 

 nacious than others. 



The species to which the foregoing obser- 

 vations more particularly refer is the COM- 

 MON SEAL (Phoca vtru/tna), which is from 

 four to five feet in length. The Greenland 

 or HARP SEAL (Phoca Greeniandicn) is about 

 six feet in length, and is remarkable for the 

 changes of colour it undergoes in the course of 

 its advance towards maturity. The BEARDED 

 SEAL (Phoca barbata), another northern spe- 

 cies, is from seven to ten feet long ; and is 

 distinguished from others by having thicker 

 and stronger moustaches. The HOODED 

 SEAL (jStemmatopiu crutatut) is remarkable 

 for a globular sac, susceptible of inflation, 

 which is situated upon the summit of the 

 head of the males. It grows to the length 

 of seven or eight feet, and inhabits the seas 

 about Greenland and Newfoundland. But 

 by far the largest known species is the ELB- 

 PHAST SEAL, or SEA-ELKPHANT (Macro- 

 rhinut probofcideut) ; its length being from 

 twenty to twenty-five or thirty feet, and 

 its girth at the largest part of the body being 

 from fifteen to eighteen feet. It is said that 

 a full-grown male will yield seventy gallons 

 of oil. These animals inhabit the Antarctic 

 seas, and are found upon the southern 

 coasts of Australasia, Juan Fernandez, and 

 the neighbouring parts of South America. 

 Their voice resembles the lowing of cattle : 

 and they migrate towards the tropic in 

 winter, and return southwards in summer. 

 They are very inert, not easily alarmed, 

 and make little defence when attacked. 

 The name of Elephant Seal is given to them 

 partly from the large size of their tusk-like 

 canines, and partly from the faculty which 

 the male possesses of elongating the upper 

 lip into a kind of proboscis : they are much 

 sought after, on account of the large quan- 

 tity of oil they yield ; as well as for the 

 skin, which, being of great strength and 

 thickness, is much used in harness-making. 

 Two more species must be noticed ; one 

 called the Sea-Lion, the other the Sea- Bear. 

 The SEA-LIOX (Phityrhynchus leaninut) 

 grows from the length of from six to ten feet, 

 and is said to inhabit both the northern and 

 southern coasts of the Pacific. The colour 

 is yellowish brown ; and the males have a 

 large mane upon their necks, which partly 

 covers their head and shoulders. The nails 

 of the fore-feet are very small, and in part 

 wanting. The voice of the males is very 

 powerful. The SKA-BJJAB (Arctocqphalue 



