138 THE SEAL 



affinity to a fish. The head is round, like that, of a 

 man ; but the nose is like that of an otter ; and the 

 teeth resemble those of a dog : the eyes are large, full, 

 and sparkling ; and, instead of external ears, it has two 

 holes in the head : the neck is well proportioned ; and 

 the body is thickest at the part where it joins, and from 

 thence decreases down to the tail. It is impossible to 

 say positively the size of this animal, as the difference 

 between them is so very great; some measure only four 

 feet in length, whilst others are known to exceed nine.: 

 the body is covered with a thick, bristly, shining hair, 

 which gives it the appearance of being rubbed over 

 with oil ; some are black, others spotted ; but yellow- 

 is the colour which chiefly prevails : the feet are 

 placed so close to the body that they apparently seem 

 much more like fins, and are covered with a membrane 

 which conceals their shape : the hinder feet are turned 

 backwards, and are totally useless when the creature is 

 upon land, notwithstanding which it moves very 

 quickly whenever it perceives that it is pursued : the 

 tongue is forked, like that of a serpent : and the blood 

 is able to circulate without passing through the lungs, 

 which enables the animal to dive under water, and yet 

 in that situation freely respire. 



Indeed the water appears to be the seal's natural sta- 

 tion, as it chiefly exists upon what that element will 

 produce. This animal is found in every climate : but 

 in the northern seas it particularly abounds ; and on the 

 rocky shores they are seen basking by thousands, when- 

 ever trie weather happens to be fine. Though the ge- 

 nerality of quadrupeds contentedly remain attached to 

 the spot where they first drew breath, unless fear or 

 necessity impels them to roam, the seal appears to de- 

 light in change, and, like birds of passage, migrate at 



