Tlie Seal Tribe. 131 



usual practice of the hunters to stun them by a heavy 

 blow upon the head, returning to complete the opera- 

 tion when the chase is over. The head of the crested 

 seal is, however, guarded in a great measure by the 

 curious helmet, and a blow sufficient to kill any ordi- 

 nary seal serves only to stun the animal for a very 

 short time. 



When once roused, the crested seal is an active and 

 formidable enemy, using both teeth and claws with 

 considerable activity and address. Its strength, too, 

 is very great, and as the animal averages some eleven 

 or twelve feet in length, it will be seen that it is by no 

 means a despicable foe. 



The colour of the fur is a dark bluish black, paling 

 almost to white beneath the body, and sprinkled with 

 a number of greyish patches, each of which encloses a 

 black spot. The head, tail, and feet are black. The 

 fur is of considerable value in commerce, the skins 

 being imported in great numbers. 



NEXT comes the Harp Seal, or Atak (Phoca Grcen- 

 landica), a closely allied species. 



This animal derives its somewhat peculiar name 

 from the markings of the body, which are disposed in 

 a very singular manner. The ground colour of the 

 fur is a whitish grey, upon which are drawn two broad 

 bars of a jetty black running from the shoulders, where 

 they almost join one another, to the root of the tail. 

 The form of these markings has been supposed to 

 resemble an ancient harp ; thence its popular title. 

 The greater part of the head is also black. 



This peculiar marking does not show itself until the 

 fifth year of the animal's existence, the fur until then 

 changing its colour and markings with every succes- 

 sive season. 



The harp seal is an inhabitant of the coast of 

 Greenland and Iceland, where it is found in great pro- 



