SEALS. 67 



into it for an inch or so, the water around the 

 iron will be boiling fiercely, while at a couple of 

 inches below the iron it will still remain at thirty-four 

 degrees. 



As far as the Seal goes, two points are already 

 gained in its favour. The ice floating on the surface 

 of the water acts as a safeguard; for it is just as 

 difficult for heat to get through ice in one direction as 

 in another; and, however cold the external atmosphere 

 may be, it can but slowly extract the heat through the 

 covering of ice, which serves in the inanimate world 

 the same purpose that the fatty "blanket" serves in 

 the living whales and seals. Next, by means of this 

 layer of ice interposed between the sea and the open 

 air, the water is preserved unfrozen ; and so the Seal 

 can always find the supply of fish on which its life, 

 together with that of its young, depends. 



The same quality of flotation in the ice is also 

 utilized in supplying the infant Seal with a couch on 

 which it can lie until it is strong enough to enter the 

 water and shift for itself. 



Again, the peculiar crystalline formation of the 

 snow is utilized in providing a shelter for the little 

 animal. It is light enough to be easily scooped away 

 by the fore paws of the mother Seal. Yet the ramified 

 form of the crystals, which interlace each other in all 

 directions, render it tenacious enough for the igloo to 

 preserve its form, instead of falling in, as would be 

 the case if it were sculptured in sand. And, lastly, it 

 is partially pervious both to light and air, so that the 

 young Seal is not altogether deprived of these acces- 

 sories to life. 



