130 Anecdotal Natural History. 



But if the hunter will have patience to wait until the 

 animal has taken in its supply of air, and then shoot it, 

 he will find that the air in the lungs will act like a 

 float, and keep the body at the surface. 



THERE are many different species of seals, several 

 of which are named after animals which they are sup- 

 posed to resemble. One of these is the Leopard Seal 

 (Leptonyx Weddellii), or Sea Leopard, as it is indiffe- 

 rently termed, which derives its popular title from the 

 whitish spots which are irregularly sprinkled over the 

 body. This is not one of the larger seals, seldom 

 exceeding ten feet in length, and not often attaining 

 even to those dimensions. It is an inhabitant of 

 various parts of the southern hemisphere. 



A MORE interesting and well-known species is the 

 Crested Seal (Steminatopus cristatus), which is found 

 upon the northern shores of America. 



Upon looking at a specimen of this animal, the 

 attention is at once struck by the remarkable crest, from 

 which it takes its name. This strange structure springs 

 from the muzzle, and rises to a height of several 

 inches, supporting a kind of cowl which entirely covers 

 the head. This curious organ, which is found in the 

 adult male animal alone, is found to be a development 

 of the ' septum,' or dividing gristle of the nose. As 

 regards its object we are entirely at fault, the theory 

 that it is intended to aid in the sense of smell at once 

 falling to the ground when we consider that it is 

 possessed by the adult males alone, being found only 

 in a rudimentary form in the female and the young of 

 both sexes. 



Although the object of this strange development 

 has not as yet been discovered, it is certainly of 

 service to the animal as a means of protection 

 when attacked by man. All the seals being parti- 

 cularly sensitive in the region of the nostrils, it is the 



