THE NATURAL 



in his native forest, as is the case with nearly all beasts 

 newly captive. He breeds under man's eye with perfect 

 indifference, and no showman can prevent the she- 

 elephant, who is very lecherous, from manifesting with 

 full voice her shameless desires. As her vulva opens not 

 between her legs but toward the middle of her abdomen, 

 Buffon believed that she had to lie on her back to receive 

 the male. This is not so, but she has to make a par- 

 ticular gesture: she kneels. 



Whales who are by far the greatest mammals, obey 

 a special rite, imposed by their lack of members and the 

 element in which they live; the two colossi heave over 

 on their sides like sprung ships, and join obliquely, belly 

 to belly. The male organ is enormous, even in the state 

 of rest, six or eight feet long and fifteen or sixteen inches 

 in circumference. The vulva of the female is longi- 

 tudinal ; near it is found the udder which projects greatly 

 when she gives suck. This udder has ejectory power, the 

 whale cub hooks on by his lips, and the milk is sent to 

 him as from a pump, marvellous accommodation of 

 organs to the necessities of the milieu. 



Anatomy forces female seals and walruses to turn over 

 to receive the male. In the specie commonly called the 

 sea-lion, she seems according to observations perhaps too 

 sketchy, to make the advances. The male being stretched 

 out at rest she rolls before him, plagues him, while he 

 grumbles. She succeeds in moving him, and they go to 

 play in the water. On return the female lies on her 

 back, the male who is much thicker and longer covers 

 her, propping himself on his arms. The coupling lasts 

 seven or eight minutes. The posture of female seals is 

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