VOYAGE TO SPITZBERGEN. 79 



teristic difference, however, consists in the walrus 

 having two very large tusks, or horns, like the ele- 

 phant's, projecting from his upper jaw. These are 

 sometimes found of an extraordinary size, from two 

 to three feet in length, and weighing twenty pounds. 

 The tusks of the Spitzbergen walrus seldom attain 

 this size, because there the animal is generally kill- 

 ed before attaining its full growth. It is only on 

 the northern coast of Asiatic Russia, or where they 

 are not molested by hunters, that such tusks are 

 found. 



With the exception of the tusks, the form of 

 the walrus does not differ materially from that of 

 the seal. Head round, with a short nose; mouth 

 small, with strong bristles ; small red eyes ; short 

 neck ; colour variable ; rest of the body similar to 

 the seal ; but its toes, especially in the hind feet, 

 are much stronger. 



The walrus is monogamous but in other re- 

 spects its habits are nearly the same with those of 

 the seal. It brings forth its young in the same 

 manner, preys on the same kinds of fish, and, like 

 the seal, ascends the ice, (more rarely the land,) to 

 bask in the sun. 



The walrus is a very valuable animal, yielding 

 frequently half a tun of oil, equally valuable with 



that of the whale. The tusks are said to be more 



E 4 



