374 THE SEAL. 



the tables of the great. At a feast provided by Archbishop 

 Neville, for Edward the Fourth, there were twelve seals 

 and porpoises provided, among other extraordinary rari- 

 ties. 



As a variety of this animal, we may mention the SEA- 

 LION, described in Anson's voyages. This is much larger 

 than any of the former ; being from eleven to eighteen feet 

 long. It is so fat, that when the skin is taken off, the blub- 

 ber lies a foot thick all round the body. It seems to differ 

 from the ordinary seal, not only in size, but also in its food ; 

 for it is often seen to graze along the shore, and to feed 

 upon the long grass that grows up along the edges of brooks. 

 Its cry is very various, sometimes resembling the neighing 

 of a horse, and sometimes the grunting of a hog. It may 

 be regarded as the largest of the seal family. 



THE MITRED OR HOODED SEAL. 



The designation of Mitred Seal appears to have been 

 first applied by Camper, and a cranium with this label 

 was found in his museum, in 1811, by Baron Cuvier. 

 This specimen was supposed to have been procured in the 

 Northern Ocean. Soon after making this observation, Cu- 

 vier received from Mr. Milbert of New-Yo^k a young ani- 

 mal of this genus, from which a skeleton was prepared, 

 and which was found perfectly to correspond with Cam- 

 per's specimen. 



This specimen was only three and a half feet long when 

 it reached France, and, on removing it from the liquor in 

 which it had been transported, it appeared whitish, except 

 on the back and legs, where it was of a slate brown hue, 

 with a whitish reflection produced by the points of the 

 hairs, their base being brown, as well as the wool which 

 covers their roots. After it was dry, its native oil gave it 

 a decided yellow tinge. Its nails are large and whitish 

 at the ends ; its whiskers fine, short, and simple. Close 



