268 THE URSINE SEAL. 



in that case, the contest becomes universal. When two 

 are fighting with one, the rest come to the assistance of the 

 weaker side. Whilst they are thus fighting upon the land, 

 others that are in the water raise their heads, and look on for 

 awhile, till they also become enraged, swim to shore, and join 

 in the combat. When two have fought together for some time 

 and got out of breath, they lay themselves down side by side, 

 lick each other, and rest themselves, after which they rise 

 again to continue the contest. As long as they are nearly a 

 match for each other in strength, they strike only with their 

 fore-feet $ but as soon as one of them gains the superiority, 

 he seizes the other with his teeth, and throws him on the 

 ground. 



These animals grow very fat, and are then exceedingly indo- 

 lent, sometimes even scarcely moving from the same spot for 

 two or three months. This is from June to September, during 

 which time they breed, the female bringing forth one at a birth, 

 and rarely two. She is extremely attached to her young, and 

 defends it with great obstinacy. Professor Steller says, that 

 the cubs, when little more than a day old, become playful, and 

 exercise themselves in wrestling with each other. In the month 

 of September they quit their breeding stations, and return to 

 the Asiatic and American shores. They swim with great swift- 

 ness, frequently at the rate of eight miles an hour. 



THE WALRUS. (Trichecus Rosmarus, Linn.) 

 Morse. Sea-Horse . Sea-cow. Horse-whale.* 



Walruses abound most in the Northern regions, where herds 

 of them assemble on the rocks or ice-fields. 



Hector Boece, in his Hy story and Cronoklis of Scotland (1541), 



* Voyagers not very learned in zoology have sometimes mistaken the 

 walrus for the hippopotamus. 



