390 HisroiiY OF 



all otljers, the largest. In pursuance of this assumption, some 

 tirroiieous speculations have been formed. But, were the size of 

 the brain to determine the quantity of the understanding, the 

 seal would, of all other animals, be the most sagacious ; for it 

 has, in proportion, the largest brain of any, even man himself 

 not excepted. However, this animal is possessed of but very 

 few advantages over other quadrupeds ; and the size of its brain 

 furnishes it with few powers that contribute to its wisdom or its 

 preservation. * 



* * Although deficient in their organs of sense, and the general formation 

 of their members, seals display unusual sagacity, which goes to prove the 

 influence of the brain in all that is intellectual. Of three seals in the French 

 menagerie, upon which M. F. Cuvier made observations, none of them ex. 

 perienced fear in the presence of man, or any other animal. Nothing ever 

 induced them to fly, except approaching so near as to excite in them the ap- 

 prehension of being trodden under foot, and even in this case they only 

 avoided the danger by removing to a little distance. One of them, indeed, 

 would sometimes threaten with its voice, and strike with its paw ; but it 

 would never bite, except in the last extremity. In taking their food, they 

 evinced a similar gentleness of character. Though very voracious, they could 

 behold it withdrawn from them without fear or resistance. They would 

 Eiitfer the fish which had been just given tliem to be taken away with im. 

 puuity, and some young dogs, to which one of those seals was attached, 

 >vould amuse themselves in snatching the fish from his mouth which he was 

 just ready to swallow, without his testifying the least auger. When two 

 seals, however, were allowed to eat together, the usual result was a com. 

 bat carried on with their paws, which ended by the weakest or most timid 

 leaving the field in possession of Ms antagonist. 



With tlie exception of some species of the monkey, there is scarcely any 

 wild animal more easily tamed than the seal, or capable of a stronger degree 

 of attachment. One of the individuals before-mentioned, showed, at first, 

 some degree of shyness, and fled at the show of caresses ; but, in a few days, 

 his fear was totally at an end. Ke soon discovered the nature and iuteut 

 of such movements, and his confidence became unbounded. This same 

 phoca was shut up with two little dogs, who used to moimt upon his back, 

 bark at, and seemed to bite him ; and although sports of this kind were at 

 variance with his habits and nature, he soon learned to appreciate their 

 motive, and to take pleasure in them. He never replied to them, but by 

 gentle strokes of his paw, which seemed rather intended to excite than to 

 repress them. If the dogs escaped he would follow them, though walking 

 over ground covered with stones and mud must have been a painful eftbrt 

 to him ; and when cold weather came, he and the dogs would lie closely to. 

 gether, to keep each other warm. 



Another was peculiarly attached to the peri^on who had the care of him ; 

 he soon learned to know this person at any distance withu his range of 

 vision. He would hold his eyes fixed upon liim while he was present, and 

 run forward the moment he saw him approach. Hunger, to be siu-e, enter, 

 ed for aomethiug iuto the afl'eetion he testified to\> ards liia keepers. The 



