322 VERTEBRATA. 



crowns tire strongly compressed laterally, with sharp cutting edges, which are usually more or 

 lees notched, and Bomctimes deeply cleft, bo as t<> form three or more distinct points. 



The mouth is furnished with thick, fleshy lips, from which spring numerous long bristles. The 



joe is smooth. The nostrils are placed at the front of the snout, and are capable of being 

 completely closed when the animal is under water. The externa] ears are usually represented by 

 a small valve, which closes the aperture under the same circumstances. The eye is large, full, 

 and expressive of intelligence, a quality which is exhibited by these animals in a very high de- 

 gree; and the brain, as might be expected from this circumstance, is of large size, and of a very 

 high type of organization. The mamma' are usually only two in number, and placed far back; 

 the female produces a single young one, ami attends to it with great assiduity. The voice of 

 the seal is usually a kind of bark, whence the name of Sea-days is applied to them in some coun- 

 tries. Though the genera are not numerous, there are great multitudes of these creatures, certain 

 seas and coasts -warming with them by thousands. 



The habits <^' all the animals of this order are very similar. They live in the sea, but always 

 in the neighborhood of the coasts, where they wage an incessant war upon the fishes, which con- 

 stitute the principal food of all, with the exception of the walrus. They are not, however, like 

 the cetacea, entirel] confined to the water, hut can easily climb upon the low rocks, where they 

 are fond of lying in herds basking in the sun. Thus living a part of the time in the water and a! 

 part <>n the land, they are what are called amjihibious. When on shore they are exceeding 

 watchful, and appear to have sentinels to give notice of the approach of an enemy, and plunge 

 into the water the moment any danger approaches them. On land, as might he expected from 

 the structure of their feet, their movements are very awkward; they are performed by the action 

 of the strong muscles of the back; the creatures hold by their fore-paws, while they curve tie- 

 back strongly, and thus draw forward the hind-feet; the latter then form the point of support, and 

 the head and fore-paws are pushed on by the straightening of the body. This mode of pro., 

 sion is evidently very laborious, and the seals never travel to any great distance on the land. 



The Piiocid.e, or True Seals, exhibit the typical characters above described in the grcatc-i 

 perfection. They are distinguished from the walrus family by the possession of incisor I 

 in both jaws, and by the moderate size of the canines. The molars are sharp-edged, and eithci 

 simple or notched; in the latter case they are usually furnished with two roots. An externa 

 ear is present only in one genus, the Otaria, the species of which inhabit the Southern Oc- 

 Nevertheless, they hear well when under water, and are easily attracted to the surface by i 

 noise. They are often seen in such shoals in the northern seas as to appear like a continuou 

 mass, and therefore are supposed to have given rise to the story of the Kraken. For the - 

 of respiration, they will appear now and then on the surface, springing up with their heads ar.' 

 necks, and often their whole bodies out of water. When a shoal of them comes thus to the sui 

 face, the sailors call it a SeaPs Wedding. They feed on fishes, crabs, and aquatic birds. 'I 

 Bwim with great rapidity, and, before a gale of wind, arc full of frolic, jumping and tiunhlin 

 about, sometimes throwing themselves entirely out of the water, and performing many awkwar 

 gambols, at hist retiring to their wonted rocks or caverns, and there remaining till the storm 

 over. The\ seem to have much curiosity : if people are passing in boats they often com. 

 very close, -tare at them, and follow them a considerable time. If the people arc speaking loui 

 tiny -i em t<> pay much attention, and to exhibit some surprise. We are told that when a chart 

 hell rings tor di\ in.- Ben ice on the coast of the ( >rknevs, all the seals within hearing swim dip 

 for the shore, and remain while the bell continues ringing, looking about with much appearance 

 wonder, but without alarm. Tiny are for the most part confined to the seas of the exta 

 northern and southern parts of the world, abounding especially around those coasts which 

 proach mosl closely to the two poles. Some of the northern species are, however, occasions 

 D as far BOUth a- the coasts of' France, on the eastern side of the Atlantic, and as far as Loi 

 Island on the western Bide. They embrace several genera. 



In regard to the seal-, Qosse makes the following interesting observations: "It is necessary th 

 they — the mammalia generally — be thus constantly bathed in air; for an interruption of the pi 

 - of respiration, for only a few seconds, would cause instant death. But' the tribe before 



