4744 Tue ZooLocist—JANvUARY, 1876. 
landed. The hunters get upon the floe behind the creatures; but 
scarcely does one raise its head in contempt and anger than all the 
others wake up, and the whole herd press forward, pushing the , 
young ones with them to the edge of the floe, where they tumble 
head foremost into the water. Only this short time is at the 
hunter’s disposal, and his shots must be quick and true. Should 
one of the young ones be killed the mother carries it with her 
flappers, challenging her enemies to fight, with a fierce look. A 
walrus once killed is quickly made fast with a rope to the boat 
before it sinks. The weight of these creatures is so enormous that 
two of them which we had hoisted on to the same side of the deck 
gave it a decided inclination. We were obliged to eat seals as well 
as walrus, and that, too (more often than not), raw; their flesh has 
a strong flavour of train-oil; that of the latter is almost black, the 
liver a beautiful violet. Both creatures have the extraordinary 
habit of occasionally swallowing stones. 
Seal.—The seal is from three to six feet long, perfectly harmless 
and defenceless. It is cautious and suspicious, and will dive for 
the slightest cause. Indeed, its apish face, with its peculiar 
expression of curiosity, is in and out of the water every minute. 
Seals live in herds: seal-hunters often find hundreds on one ice- 
floe. Whilst they sleep or sun themselves they set a watch, which 
being killed the whole herd may often be taken. A seal-hunt is 
carried on in different ways: the most successful is with clubs. 
Their skull is very weak. Our bullets had the effect of blowing 
them to pieces. The most fruitful ground for seal-hunting is the 
neighbourhood of Newfoundland and the lonely island of Jan 
Mayen, lying within the Arctic Circle. In southern latitudes they 
rarely appear. When dead they sink very quickly. To the Esqui- 
maux the seal and walrus are of universal utility: they cut strips 
out of their skin, make dresses, finish their boats, cover the floors 
and walls of their snow-huts: their bones they use for the repair of 
their sledges and weapons; their fat as fuel, their flesh for food: 
in a word, wherever Esquimaux exist seal and walrus are eaten. 
Greenland Hare.—The European hare is remarkable for its long 
and rapid hasty flight and its timidity ; the Greenland hare, on the 
contrary, sits as if nailed down in its rocky refuge, however near the 
hunter may pass to him. Sometimes one sees the mountain-slopes 
dotted with white spots, which, from their motionlessness, might 
be taken for snow; but they are only white hares. They are about 
