376 THE SEAL, 



than an inch. The coat or robe is composed of hair and 

 fur ; the former is very soft, smooth, and compact, of a 

 brownish-black color towards the root, and a grayish- 

 white towards the tip ; it extends considerably beyond the 

 fur, and gives the general coloring to the hide ; the fur 

 itself is of a uniform brownish-white color above, and of a 

 somewhat deep-brown beneath, and is quite wanting upon 

 the extremities. The color of the body is of a uniform 

 lightish-gray above, passing gradually underneath into a 

 reddish-white color, which is deepest in the abdominal re- 

 gion. The upper part of the extremities is covered above 

 with a very short brownish-black hair, which, near the 

 body, passes into the color of the back. The under por- 

 tion of both extremities, to the extent of two- thirds of the 

 anterior, and nearly the whole of the posterior, are naked, 

 being quite destitute of both hair and fur. The \yhiskers 

 are brownish-black, five rows being present ; the hairs are 

 simple and tapering. In one of the specimens there is a 

 dark marking under the eyes. 



The fur skin of this valuable animal is prepared for the 

 market in a manner different from what is employed in the 

 preparation of most others. The longhair, which conceals 

 the fur, is first removed, and this is done by heating the 

 skin, and then carding it with a large wooden knife pre- 

 pared for the purpose. The fur then appears in all its per- 

 fection, and sells in China for about two or three dollars, 

 and in England (where, indeed > they are now scarcely to 

 be found) at about three times that price. Not many years 

 ago they were used as linings and borders of cloaks and 

 mantles, and for fur-caps, &c. &c. 



THE HARP, OR GREENLAND SEAL. 



Fabricius states that in Greenland this species occurs 

 in great numbers, in the deep bays and mouths of rivers. 



