CHAPTER XIII. 



8EA-H0RSES, AND NARWAHLS, 



LL the shores and borders of the Arctic zone 

 are crowded with amphibious animals, which 

 appear to form an intermediate link between 

 whales and quadrupeds. Among these we 

 will now notice the Morse (derived from the 

 Bussian morss) or Walrus (from the Norwegian hval-ros, 

 whale-horse), also called by sailors the Sea-Horse. It is 

 ^ large, shapeless, unwieldy creature, from twelve to fifteen 

 feet in length, and eight to ten feet in circumference ; the 

 head small, the limbs short, and of an intermediate char- 

 acter between fins and legs. The eyes are small and bril- 

 liant; the nostrils are large, somewhat round, and placed on 

 the upper part of the snout or muzzle. The lips are remark- 

 ably thick and covered with bristles. The neck is short. 

 The insides of the paws are protected by a rough horny kind 

 of coating, of a quarter of an inch thick ; the fore-paws, or 

 webbed hands, are from two to three feet in length, and, be- 

 ing expansive, can be stretched to a considerable width. The 

 color varies with age ; the young are black, they then be- 

 come brown, and gradually pale, until in old age the walrus 

 is white. The hairs, thick as a crow-quill, together with the 

 long white tusks and fierce-looking eyes, give the animal a 



