THE COMMON SEAL. 



151 



and color as that of the upper part of the body, but toward its extrem- 

 ity it becomes white. Its native country is Surinam. 



PHOCID^, OR SEALS. 



We now arrive at a very wonderful series of animals, which, although 

 they breathe atmospheric air like other mammalia, are yet almost en- 

 tirely aquatic in their habits, and are never seen except in the water or 

 its immediate vicinity. The first family of these aquatic mammalia is 

 that which is formed of the animals which are popularly known by the 

 name of Seals. 



The Common Seal is spread very widely over many portions of the 

 globe, and is of very frequent occurrence upon our own coasts, where 



The Marbled Seal. 

 it is found in considerable numbers, much to the annoyance of the fish- 

 ermen, who look upon it with intense hatred, on account of the havoc 

 which it makes among the fish. 



It is rather a handsome animal, with its beautifully-mottled skin and 

 large intelligent eyes, and, although not so large as other species which 

 are also found upon the British coasts, yields to none of them in point 

 of beautv. The color of its fur is generally of a grayish yellow, 

 sprinkled with spots of brown, or brownish black, which are larger 



