THE ZooLocist—JAnuary, 1876. 4743 
water; but unfortunately the comparison with a torpedo (which, for 
fear of some accident, one dares not touch) is only too well founded. 
A single ice-floe often bears twenty and sometimes a much larger 
number of these creatures, their dark, sphinx-like bodies lying 
close together, the head, from their long tusks, leaning sideways or 
upon one another; and thus they sleep away the greater part of 
their existence in the sun, lulled by the rushing and roaring of the 
breakers. The walrus surprised on shore or on an ice-field is utterly 
helpless, and, although it strikes furiously on all sides with its tusks, 
is just as harmless as it is terrible when its anger is aroused in the 
water. One peculiarity, which under some circumstances may be 
very dangerous, is its great curiosity. Should one of these monsters 
see a boat it rears itself, astonished, above the surface, utters at once 
a cry of alarm, swimming towards it as quickly as possible. This 
call brings up others, awakens the sleepers, which the boat had 
carefully avoided, and in a short time the small vessel is followed 
by a number of these monsters, blustering in apparent or real fury 
in all their hideousness. The creatures may possibly be only 
actuated by curiosity, but their manner of showing it is un- 
fortunately so ill chosen that one feels obliged to act on the 
defensive. The bellowing, jerking and diving herd is now but a 
short distance from the boat. The first shot strikes, and this in- 
flames their wrath ; and now begins a wild fight, in which some of 
the black sphinxes are struck with axes on the flappers, with which 
they threaten to overturn the boat. Others of the men defend 
themselves with a spear or with the blade of an oar. Often, from 
some unknown cause, these creatures turn suddenly from the fight, 
jerking and diving under water, and when at some distance turn 
their ugly heads to look back and fill the air with their vindictive 
grunts. In the summer of 1869 a boat excursion to Cape Wynn 
with difficulty escaped the destruction of their craft. Another time 
they were followed by a herd, and succeeded in reaching the shore 
of an island, where, though only for a short time, they were 
blockaded in. The longer you live in Arctic regions, the less 
can you persuade yourself to attack these creatures in their 
own element, unless forced by pressing circumstances,—zé. e. want 
of either food or of oil,—and then it is advisable, if in boats, to 
provide oneself with cartridges. The most successful hunt is when 
these creatures are surprised on the ice-Aoes. When approaching 
very near them the oars are shipped and the boat noiselessly 
