THE COMMON SEAL 



(Phoca vitulina) 



THE true Seals are comparatively familiar animals to nature-lovers, 

 the present species being a well-known frequenter of our coasts, while 

 it is a good type of its family, the Phocidce. The body, it will be 

 noticed, is more fish-like than in the Sea-Lion, markedly tapering to 

 the hinder end, while the neck is short. The hind-paws are permanently 

 extended backwards, and have the two outside toes the longest; the 

 short tail appears at their junction, and they are usually kept with 

 the soles facing each other. Thus they work together as a sort of 

 fish-tail, and are the chief propellers in swimming. The fore-paws 

 are more like those of ordinary beasts than are those of the Sea-Lions, 

 not having the skinny extensions of the finger-tips, but strong claws 

 at the ends of all the five fingers. The hind-toes are also provided 

 with claws, and the soles of all the paws are covered with hair. 



The absence of the external ear in the Common Seal, though the 

 ear-hole is noticeable, is a ready distinction between the heads of this 

 animal and the Sea-Lion ; the teeth of both are formed on much the 

 same type. 



The Seal is evidently much more perfectly adapted for marine life 

 than the Sea-Lion ; its fish-like body is adapted for giving the greatest 

 effect to the paddling action of the fin-like hind-limbs, which are 

 practically useless on land. When the beast comes ashore, it does 

 indeed drag itself along to some extent by means of its fore-paws, 

 but it chiefly progresses by jerking itself along with contractions of 

 the body-muscles, wriggling on its belly like a huge maggot. It 

 can get along quite rapidly by this very uncomfortable-looking method 

 of progression, but naturally cannot go far without getting exhausted. 



Thus Seals are found to lie up very near the water as a rule, so that 



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