THE URSINE SEAL. 249 



Furious battles. 



loss of them. If another animal happen to ap- 

 proach them, they are instantly roused from their 

 indolence, snap at the encroacher, and give him 

 battle. During the fight, they insensibly intrude 

 on the station of their neighbour, who then joins 

 in the contest; so that at length the civil discord 

 spreads through the whole shore, attended with 

 hideous growls. Mr. Steller, and his men, in 

 order to try the experiment, wantonly attacked 

 one of these seals, put out both his eyes, and irri- 

 tated four or five of his neighbours by throwing 

 stones at them. When these pursued him he 

 ran towards the blind animal; who, hearing them 

 approach, fell upon them with the utmost fury. 

 Mr. Steller escaped to an adjoining eminence 

 whence he observed the battle, which raged for 

 several hours. The blind seal attacked without 

 distinction, both friends and foes; till, at length, 

 the whole herd, taking part against him, allowed 

 him no rest, either on shore or in the sea, till he 

 was at length overpowered and killed. 



When two of these animals are engaged, they 

 rest at intervals, lying down near each other ,- 

 then, rising both at once, renew the battle. They 

 fight with their heads erect, and turn them aside 

 to avoid the blows. As long as their strength 

 continues equal, they only use their fore-paws; 

 but the moment one of them fails, the other 

 seizes him with his teeth, and throws him upon 

 the ground. The wounds they inflict are very 

 deep, and like the cut of a sabre; and, it is said, 



> T o. vi, 2 r 



