Atlantic Walrus 
Range. Arctic regions of the Atlantic, south to the shores of 
udson’s Bay, Labrador and to latitude 65° on the Green- 
land coast; also islands north of Europe. On the northwest 
coast of North America south to Bering Sea and Norton 
Sound occurs the allied Pacific walrus (O. obesus Illig.), 
with longer tusks. 
The walrus is such a heavy, clumsy, ungainly beast that it 
has small chance of success at fishing, but its great size and 
strength are safeguards against the attacks of most of those 
flesh-eaters who find the seal easy prey; even the polar bear 
hesitates to come within reach of an old walrus. 
The walrus gets the greater part of its food by digging 
with its tusks in the mud beneath the comparatively shallow 
water, grubbing up mollusks, and such mud-loving fish as lack 
sufficient activity to get out of its way. Seaweed and other 
marine growths are also eaten in considerable quantities, and it 
is probable that these, together with star-fish, sea-urchins 
sea-anemones and cockles, are gathered in and ground up 
together between the molars that crush the heaviest oyster shell 
without much effort. 
The great tusks of the walrus are useful in other ways 
besides raking over the sea’s bottom for food. They answer the 
purpose of boat-hooks when the walrus desires to drag its lum- 
bering bulk out on the ice or a _ shelving reef among the 
breakers, and are stout, if unwieldy, weapons of defence in case 
of attack. 
The walrus is often seen in large herds lounging about on 
the shore, one across the other like swine, all roaring and 
grunting together. 
The young are born on shore in spring or early summer, 
at which time the old ones often go for weeks without either 
eating or entering the water. 
When attacked they show considerable courage and aggress- 
iveness in defending their charge, endeavouring at the same time 
to head off the enemy and roll their offspring into the sea, 
when they are said to seize them in their mouths, and diving, swim 
beneath the surface. 
Though walrus at any age are far from attractive, the old 
males are particularly repulsive. They become nearly devoid of 
hair and present a most disgusting appearance. Elliott says of 
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