Or^DEPv V. THE CARNIVOr.A. 211 



seemed to proceed from the lower part of the throat, and wliicli miglit be 

 compared to the hoar.'^o 1iello\\ ing- of a young bull. It appears the animal 

 [jroduced this sound lioth in inspiration and expiration, but it was clearer 

 (luring tiie former, and mugher during the latter. It niiglit lie liandled with 

 all freedom. You miglit tiirust your hand into its mouth, and rest your 

 liead on that of the seal. "When its master called, it answered, however 

 distant he might lie ; it looked round for him when it did not sec iiini, an<l 

 on discovering him, after an absence of a i'ew minutes, never failed to testify 

 joy by a loud murmur. Some of its accents were sweet and expressive, and 

 seemed the language of pleasure and delight. 



"When drowsy it did not pronijitly atiend to its master, and it was only 

 by putting food under its very nose that it could be excited to its accustomed 

 energy and vivacity. It then raised its h.ead and tlie upper part of its liodv, 

 supporting itself on its fore paws to the height of the hand wiiicli held the 

 fish ; for it was scarcely satisfied with any other aliment, having a preference 

 for carp, and still more for eels ; these, though raw, were seasoned to its 

 taste by r(jllii]g them in salt. It reipiired about tiiirty pounds of tiicsc live 

 fish every day; it greedily swallowed the eels whole, and c\cn the carp 

 when first offered it, but after devouring two or tliree entire, it subjected 

 them to some preparation, by crushing their heads with its teeth, then par- 

 tially remo\ing the entrails, and concluded by gidping them head foremost. 



" The keepers of this animal stated it could live for days, and even for more 

 than a month, without entering the water, pro\ ided it was washed every 

 evening with clean water, and had plenty of salt water to drink, for when 

 it drank fresh water, especially if it were not quite piu'c, it was always sure 

 to be injured by it. 



"Tills interesting creature seemed to be aftectcd by some malady that 

 manifested itself in fits of violent irritation and blind rage, during whicii it 

 failed to notice the soothing tones of its master, which, at other times, it was 

 its delight to hear ; it continued to pine away, and at length died in one of 

 these paroxysms." 



Genus Ste.mmatoi'US. This genus derives its name from a cartilaginous 

 appendage, which rises like a crest or crown from the fore part of the head, 

 and extends backwards over the cranium several inches, giving tlie animal a 

 very singular appearance. 



*S'. C'rlstdtas. — Tiic Crested Seal. The fict tliat this seal has sometimes 

 been confounded witii tlie Elephant Seal, and sometimes with the Mitrata, 

 furnishes another instance of the confusion which j'ct prevails in the arrange- 

 ment of the difierent groups. The learned Fabricius has contributed the 

 most accurate information in regard to the species whicli we have been aljle 

 to obtain. Accordiuir to him the crested seal is about ci"ht feet in length. 



