ress over the ice floes of his native clime. For this purpose, nature 

 has equipped the soles of his big feet with a hairy pad, which serves 

 not alone to prevent him from slipping but also as a warm blanket 

 in his contact with the frozen surface. 



Thus, equally at his ease on ice or in the water, he may be 

 seen, in company with his mate and the two or three cubs, hunting 

 for the clumsy seal or huge walrus, which he will have little diffi- 

 culty in securing for their meal. A favorite method of attack is, 

 after once spying out the prey quite off its guard on some distant 

 ice cake, to approach by alternate swimming and diving until within 

 easy reach, when he will suddenly appear from underneath the 

 water and cut off all hope of escape. He is also often successful 

 in tilting the cake at such an angle that the unfortunate occupant 

 must of necessity fall off into his very jaws. During the short Arc- 

 tic summer a few berries or roots may be a welcome change of 

 fare, but, for the most part, an occasional salmon or other fish must 



64 



