THE SEAL. 377 



Twice a year the herds leave the coast ; first in March, 

 returning in May ; and again in June, reappearing in Sep- 

 tember. They bring forth their young in spring, having 

 one, or rarely two, at a birth, which they suckle on frag- 

 ments of ice far from shore. They never ascend the fixed 

 ice, but live and sleep near the floating islands in vast 

 herds. Among these islands they are sometimes seen 

 swimming in great numbers, having one for their leader, 

 who seems to act as sentinel for the security of the whole. 

 They devour all the more common kinds offish, having a 

 preference for the arctic salmon, and not refusing shell- 

 fish. When engaged in feeding, and one comes to the 

 surface to breathe, he raises his head only above water, 

 and without changing his place quickly dives again. 

 They seldom appear solitary upon the wave, principally 

 swimming and fishing underneath, occasionally raising 

 their heads when devouring larger prey. They swim in 

 a variety of ways ; sometimes on their back, often on their 

 sides, occasionally whirling about as if to amuse them- 

 selves. They frequently sleep on the surface of the wa- 

 ter, and, upon the whole, are regarded incautious, espe- 

 cially upon the ice. 



It is alleged that this species has a great dread of the 

 Sperm-Whales, which in numbers pursue them to the 

 shore. The remark probably applies to most genera, both 

 of Seals and of Whales; and of the Grampus it has been 

 stated, that if he perceives a Seal basking on floating ice, 

 he will do his best to upset it, or beat it off with his fins 

 into the water, where it becomes an easy prey. The 

 Greenlanders frequently take advantage of these Whale 

 hunts, and when the Seals are hemmed in, join in the pur- 

 suit, and come in for a large share of the booty. 



Crantz tells us thatthif " is a careless, stupid Seal, and 

 the only one which the Greenlander, when quite alone, will 

 venture to attack. This he does in his Kajak, which is 

 shaped like a weaver's shuttle. Thus equipped, away he 



