THE WALRUS 



( Trichechiis rosmarus) 



THE huge unwieldy " Horse- Whale," as the old Norsemen called it, is 

 the most remarkable of all the marine carnivores and constitutes by 

 itself a family (Trichechidce) which is to some extent intermediate 

 between the Sea-Lions and the true Seals. The latter it resembles in 

 having no external ears, but in general appearance, in spite of many 

 representations in natural-history books, it is more like the former, 

 especially in the forward disposition of the hind-limbs on land, and 

 the consequent quadrupedal gait. The hind-limbs in the Walrus, 

 however, present the peculiarity of being united at the heels by a web 

 of skin, in which the small tail is enclosed. They resemble those 

 of the true Seals in having the three middle toes shorter than the 

 outside two. 



The teeth are quite peculiar, and like those of no other beast. 

 There are no incisors in the lower jaw in adults, and the grinders 

 are small, wide-apart, and round-topped. In the upper jaw there are 

 a pair of small incisors, and the huge canines which form the tusks 

 so characteristic of the beast. The lower canines are small and not 

 conspicuous ; in fact, except for the great upper tusks, all the teeth look 

 much alike. In the young there are two pairs of incisors in each 

 jaw. 



All the five toes on each foot bear nails, but these are small in 

 the fore-foot, and the skin extends beyond them as in the Sea-Lions ; 

 on the hind-foot the three centre claws are larger. The soles of the 

 feet are bare and rough, but with this exception, the skin, which falls 

 much into folds, especially on the shoulders, is covered with short 

 light-brown hair ; this, however, tends to disappear in old animals. 

 Under the skin there is, as usual in the sea-beasts, a thick layer of 



Ii7 J 



