ORDER V. THE CAEXIVORA. 203 



differ much frnm the coiiimou seal. F. Cuvier remarks, in rc^'ard to it, " I 

 was tor a considerable time in possession of the individual on which I found 

 this species. ]\Iy specimen was young, and its size appeared to correspond 

 with tiiat of the C. vifiijijtns. The colors, however, were very ditl'erent. 

 All tiie groundwork of its coat was of a very deep gray, varied with whitish, 

 irregular lines, which formed, especially on the back and tlanks, a kind of 

 marbling, whicii was more marked when the animal was in the water than 

 when it was dry." 



The Marbled Seal is a gentle and intelligent animal. One of them, taken 

 on the coast of France, and kept for some time in the Ivoyal Menagerie, is 

 thus spoken of by F. Cu\ier : "Except in some monkeys, 1 have nc\cr 

 known any wild animal wliich was more easily tamed, or attached itself 

 more strongly, ^^'ilc^ it first came to the Javdln des Plui(tc.<, it endeavored 

 to escape when I wished to touch it ; but in a very few days all its ajipre- 

 hensions vanished ; it had discovered my intentions, and rather desired my 

 caresses than feared. It was in the same enclosure with two small dogs, 

 which amused themselves l)y mounting frctjuently on its back, with barking, 

 and even biting it; and although these sports, and the vivacity of the 

 attending movements, were little in harmony with its own action and habits, 

 yet it appreciated their motive, and seemed jileased with them. It never 

 offered any other retaliation tluui slight, playful blows with its paws, the 

 object of which was to encourage rather than repress the liberties taken. 

 If the puppies escaped from the enclosure, the seal endeavored to follow 

 them, notwithstanding the difhculty it experienced in crce[)ing along the 

 ground, covered with stones and rubbish. When the weather was cold, the 

 three animals huddled closely and kindly together, that they might contribute 

 to their mutual warmth. 



" The crcatiu'e did not exhiljit any alarm at tiic presence of men or ani- 

 mals, and did not flee, unless when run upon in such a way as to threaten its 

 being trod upon, when it got out of the way to avoid injury. Although 

 very voracious, it did not manifest any opposition or anger when robbed of 

 its food. Often," continues Mons. F. Cuvier, " have I tried him when 

 pressed with hunger, and he never opposed my will ; and I have seen the 

 dogs, to which he was much attached, amuse themselves when he was feed- 

 ing by snatching the fish from his mouth, without his exhibiting any rage." 



C. UarbatHS. — The Bearded, or Great Seal. According to Fabricius, 

 this species often exceeds nine feet in length, and the young of the second 

 year are six and a half feet long. Its iicad is long, and its forehead pecu- 

 liarly prominent ; the muzzle is ^■ery large, and the lips loose; the hairs of 

 its whiskers are long, niunerous, horny, flexible, white, and curled at the 

 point ; the eyes are large, and the pupil round and black, the iris, brown. 



