3S8 HisTouy OF 



merit of being a first doscriber myself; but, in fact, the varieties 

 of this animal are so many, ttat were they all described, the 

 catalogue would be as extensive as it would be useless and un- 

 eutertaining.* It is sufficient to observe, that they agree in the 



* The Ursine Seal. The males are about eight feet in length, but tho 

 females are much smaller. Their bodies are thick, decreasing- somewhat to- 

 •vards the tail. The nose projects like that of a pug-dog ; and the eyes are 

 large and prominent. The fore-legs are about two feet in length, and, with 

 the feet, have somewhat the appearance of turtle's fins. The hind-legs are 

 rather shorter, and have five toes separated by a web. The general colour 

 of the hair is black, and that of the old ones is tipped with grey. The fe- 

 TQales are ash-coloured. 



The Ursine seals live in families, every male being surrounded by from 

 eight to fifty females, whom he guards with the utmost jealousy ; each fami. 

 ly keeps separate from the others, although they lie by thousands on the 

 shores wliich they inhabit. The males exhibit great affection towards their 

 young, and equal tyranny towards the females. — They are fierce in the pro- 

 tection of the former ; and, should any one attempt to carry off their cub, 

 they will stand on the defensive, while the female conveys it in her mouth. 

 Should she happen to drop it, the male instantly quits his enemy, falls on 

 her, and beats her against the stones till he leaves her for dead. But if the 

 yoimg one is entirely carried off, he melts into the greatest afiiiiction, shed, 

 ding tears, and exhibiting every mark of sorrow. 



Those animals that, through age or impotence, are deserted by the females, 

 withdraw themselves from society, and not only become excessively splene- 

 tic, peevish, and quarrelsome, but so much attached to their own stations, 

 as to prefer death to the loss of them. If they perceive another animal ap. 

 proacliing them, they are instantly roused from their indolence, snap at the 

 €ncroacher, and give him battle. During the fight, they sometimes 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, their note of war. This is one of the causes of the disputes 

 which take place among these irritable creatures. But a much more serious 

 rause is, when an attempt is made to seduce away any of their females. A 

 battle is the sure consequence of the insult ; and sad indeed is the fate of the 

 vanquished animal ; he instantly loses his whole seraglio, who all desert 

 hiin, and attach themselves to the victor. When only two of the animals 

 are engaged in combat, 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 if one of them fails, the 

 other seizes him with his teeth, and throws him on the ground. The wounds 

 they inflict are very deep, and like the cut of a sabre ; and, it is said, that in 

 the month of July, scarcely one is to be seen that has not some mark of this 

 description. At the conclusion of an engagement, such as are able throw 

 themselves into the sea, in order to wash off the blood. They are exceed- 

 ingly tenacious of life, and will sometimes live a fortnight after receiving 

 inch wounds as would immediately have destroyed any other animal. 



The Hooded Seal. The head is without ears ; there are foiu- fore-tccth in 



