THE LEONINE SEAL. 255 



Indifference of the parents towards their young. 



witnessed a duel between two males, which lasted 

 three days, and in which one of them received 

 above a hundred wounds. The Ursine seals 

 which were among them never interfered, but 

 always hastened out of the way of their battles. 



Each male has from two to four females, which 

 he treats with great kindness ; and he seems very 

 fond of their caresses ; but it is a singular fact 

 that neither of the parents exhibit much affection 

 towards their young : for they frequently tread 

 it to death through carelessness, and will even suf- 

 fer it to be killed before them without concern. 

 The cubs are not sportive, like most other young 

 animals, but seem entirely stupified by much 

 sleep. The parents take them into the water, 

 and teach them to swim: and when they arc 

 tired they climb on the back of their dam; but 

 the male often pushes them off, to habituate them 

 to this exercise. 



The old ones are said to bellow like bulls, and 

 the young bleat like sheep. They subsist princi- 

 pally on fish, and several marine animals; but 

 during two of the summer months the old males 

 abstain almost entirely from eating, and indulge 

 in sleep and indolence, swallowing at intervals 

 large stones, to keep the stomach distended. At 

 the expiration of this time they are excessively 

 emaciated. 



The Kamtschadales consider the chase of these 

 animals as an occupation of the highest honour. 

 When they find one of them asleep, they approach 



6 



