ODOB^NUS ROSMARUS ATLANTIC WALRUS.' 767 



as late as 1844 (vol. i, p. 487), says : "Es [Triclieclms rosmarus] 

 bewobnt die Polarmeere heide Pole, man ist aber nocli im Zwei- 

 fel, ob das Wallross des Slidpolarmeers dieselbe Art mit denen 

 der arctischen Meere sein ". 



The Walrus a Formidable Antagoiist. To the pre- 

 vious remarks on this subject {antea, pj). 107-133, passim), add 

 the following- : " In the summer of 1869 a boat excursion to Cape 

 Wynn with difficulty escaped the destruction of their craft. 

 Another time they were followed by a herd and succeeded in 

 reaching the shore of an island, where, though only for a short 

 time, they were blockaded in. The longer you live in Arctic 

 regions the less can you persuade yourself to attack these 

 creatures in their own element, unless forced by pressing cir- 

 cumstances, i. e., want of either food or of oil, and then it is 

 advisable, if in boats, to provide oneself with cartridges." 

 German Arctic Expedition, 1869-70, p. 481. 



Curiosity and Fearlessness of the Walrus. "One 

 peculiarity [of the Walrus], which under some circumstances 

 may be very dangerous, is its curiosity. Should one of these 

 monsters see a boat, it raises itself astonished above the sur- 

 face, utters at once a cry of alarm, swimming towards it as 

 quickly as possible. This call brings up others, awakens the 

 sleepers which the boat had carefully avoided, and in a short 

 time the small vessel is followed by a number of these monsters, 

 blustering in a^jparent or real fmy in aU their hideousness. 

 The creatures may possibly be only actuated by curiosity, but 

 their manner of showing it is unfortunately so ill-chosen that 

 one feels obliged to act on the defensive. The bellowing, jerk- 

 ing, and diving herd is now but a short distance from the boat. 

 The first shot strikes, and this inflames their wrath, and now 

 begins a wild fight in which some of the black sphynxes are 

 struck with axes on the flappers, with which they threaten to 

 overturn the boat. Others of the men defend themselves with 

 a spear or with the blade of an oar." German Arctic Expedition^ 

 1869-70, p. 481. 



Locomotion ; IJse of the Tusks in Climbing. Captain 

 Sir Edward Belcher, in "The last of the Arctic Voyages" (vol. 

 i, p. 93), thus describes the Walrus's manner of mounting an 

 ice-floe : " But here, within a few feet, deliberately did I watch 

 the progress of the animal in effecting its purpose. In the first 



