WALRUS. 27 1 



there is a very fine sub-fossil skull of a Walrus, which 

 was found in peat near Ely. It was mentioned as visit- 

 ing Scotland, by Hector Boece, whose authority is quoted 

 by Sir Robert Sibbald. One was killed in December, 

 1817, at Caolas Stocnis, on the east coast of Harris, and 

 was examined by the late Mr. Macgillivray, who gave an 

 account of it in vol. XVII. of the " Naturalist's Library " ; 

 it was about ten feet in length, with tusks of eight and a 

 half inches. A second was shot in June, 1825, on the 

 island of Edday, Orkney, by one of the shepherds of 

 Mr. Laing of Papdale ; it was recorded by Mr. R. Scarth, 

 in the " Edinburgh Philosophical Magazine " for that 

 year, and its head was sent to the Edinburgh College 

 ]\Iuseum. Messrs. Baikie and Heddle state that another 

 Walrus made its appearance in Hoy Sound in 1827, but 

 it was not captured. One was killed in April, 1841, on 

 the East Heiskar, near Harris, by Capt. McDonald, R.N., 

 as mentioned by Dr. R. Brown, in the " Annals and 

 Magazine" for 1871 ; and in the " Proceedings of the 

 Zoological Society " for 1868, Dr. Brown remarks : — "I 

 know of one that was seen in Orkney in 18.") 7, and 

 another, the Shetland fishermen told me, had been seen 

 in the Nor' Isles about the same time." 



In its native climes the Walrus consorts in larije herds, 

 to the number of hundreds, on the fixed and floating 

 ice ; in the former it keeps open atluks, like the Seals. 

 When assailed it at once betakes itself to the water, bui 

 if cut off from its haven of refuge, it fights fiercely, and 

 even in the sea a wounded Walrus will not hesitate to 

 attack a boat, tearing the planks asunder with its tusks, 

 and continuing the conflict till the hunter's lance or bullet 

 finds a mortal spot. 



Very various accounts have been given of the food of 

 this animal. It was long supposed to feed exclusively 



