SEALS. 63 



It appears that in that region the Seals always keep 

 open breathing-holes for themselves, which they con- 

 trive to pierce completely through the thick ice. This 

 is done by always resorting to the same spot when the 

 ice begins to form, so that at last a perpendicular 

 tunnel is always kept open, and is large enough for a 

 full-grown Seal to pass up and down with perfect ease. 



As the time approaches for the young one to be 

 born, the mother ascends the tunnel, and with her 

 fore paws scrapes away the snow until she has formed 

 a cavity of a dome-like form, and much wider than the 

 opening of the tunnel. She is enabled to ascend the 

 tunnel easily enough, because the weight of the ice and 

 snow forces the water almost to its entrance. On the 

 ledge which is left around the entrance she deposits 

 her young one, which is thus nurtured in almost 

 absolute safety the bear, fox, and the dog being the 

 only enemies which it has to fear. The Esquimaux 

 call these remarkable houses by the name which they 

 give to their own snow-houses, namely, ' ( igloo," and 

 it is most probable that the first idea of the Esquimaux 

 snow-house was taken from the dwelling of the Seal. 



Within this house the young Seal remains for some 

 time. Gradually, summer comes on ; the rays of the 

 sun melt away the snow that lay upon the roof of the 

 igloo. But, by this time, the young Seal has so increased 

 in size and strength that it no longer needs the pro- 

 tection, and is able to shift for itself. 



A rough plan or chart of the Seal's igloo is here 

 given. It is taken from Capt. Hall's description. A 

 represents the snow ; B is the igloo scraped in it ; C 

 is the ice; and D is the tunnel, nearly filled with water 



