Atlantic Walrus 



Range. Arctic regions of the Atlantic, south to the shores of 

 Hudson's Bay, Labrador and to latitude 65 on the Green- 

 land coast; also islands north of Europe. On the northwest 

 coast of North America south to Bering Sea and Norton 

 Sound occurs the allied Pacific walrus (O. obesus Illig.), 

 with longer tusks. 



The walrus is such a heavy, clumsy, ungainly beast that it 

 has small chance of success at fishing, but its great size and 

 strength are safeguards against the attacks of most of those 

 flesh-eaters who find the seal easy prey; even the polar bear 

 hesitates to come within reach of an old walrus. 



The walrus gets the greater part of its food by digging 

 with its tusks in the mud beneath the comparatively shallow 

 water, grubbing up mollusks, and such mud-loving fish as lack 

 sufficient activity to get out of its way. Seaweed and other 

 marine growths are also eaten in considerable quantities, and it 

 is probable that these, together with star-fish, sea-urchins 

 sea-anemones and cockles, are gathered in and ground up 

 together between the molars that crush the heaviest oyster shell 

 without much effort. 



The great tusks of the walrus are useful in other ways 

 besides raking over the sea's bottom for food. They answer the 

 purpose of boat-hooks when the walrus desires to drag its lum- 

 bering bulk out on the ice or a shelving reef among the 

 breakers, and are stout, if unwieldy, weapons of defence in case 

 of attack. 



The walrus is often seen in large herds lounging about on 

 the shore, one across the other like swine, all roaring and 

 grunting together. 



The young are born on shore in spring or early summer, 

 at which time the old ones often go for weeks without either 

 eating or entering the water. 



When attacked they show considerable courage and aggress- 

 iveness in defending their charge, endeavouring at the same time 

 to head off the enemy and roll their offspring into the sea, 

 when they are said to seize them in their mouths, and diving, swim 

 beneath the surface. 



Though walrus at any age are far from attractive, the old 

 males are particularly repulsive. They become nearly devoid of 

 hair and present a most disgusting appearance. Elliott says of 



"3 



