392 HISTORY OF 



The water is the seal's usual habitation, and whStevev fish it 

 can catch its food. Though not equal in instinct and cunning 

 to some terrestrial animals, it is greatly superior to the mute 

 tenants of that element in which it chiefly resides. Although it 

 can continue for several minutes under water, yet it is not able, 

 like fishes, to remain there for any length of time ; and a seal 

 may be drowned, like any other terrestrial animal. Thus it 

 seems superior, in some respects, to the inhabitants of both 

 elements, and inferior in many more. Although furnished with 

 Jegs, it is, in some measure, deprived of all the advantiiges ot 

 them." They are shut up within its body, while nothing appears 

 but the extremities of them, and these furnished with very little 

 motion, but to serve them as fins in the water. The hind feet, 

 indeed, being turned backwards, are entirely useless upon land 

 so that when the animal is obliged to move, it drags itself for- 

 ward like a reptile, and with an efibrt more painful. For this 

 purpose it is obliged to use its fore-feet, which, though very 

 short, serve to give it such a degree of swiftness that a man can 

 not readily overtake it ; and it runs towards the sea. As it is 

 thus awkwardly formed for going upon land, it is seldom found 

 at any distance from the sea-shore, but continues to bask upon 

 the rocks •, and when disturbed always plunges down at once to 

 the bottom. 



The seal is asocial animal, and wherever it frequents, numbers 

 are generally seen together. They are found in every climate, 

 but in the north and icy seas they are particularly numerous. It 

 is on those shores, which are less inhabited than ours, and where 

 the fish resort in greater abundance, that they are seen by 

 thousands, like flocks of sheep, basking on the rocks, and suck- 

 ling their young. There they keep watch like other gre- 

 garious animals; and, if an enemy appear, instantly plunge 

 all together into the water. In fine weather they more 

 usually employ their time in fishing ; and generally come on 

 shore in tempests and storms. The seal seems the only animal 

 that takes delight in these tremenduous conflicts of nature. In 

 the midst of thunders and torrents, when eveiy other creature 

 takes refuge from the fury of the elements, the seals are seen by 

 thousands sporting along the shore, and delighted with the uni- 

 versal disorder ! This, however, may arise from the sea being at 



1 Euffon. 



