DR. J. MURIE ON THE ANATOMY OF THE WALRUS. AIT 
sides of the body (that is, from the shoulders to the rump, including the buttocks and 
sacral region) that skin-furrows run in parallel, oblique, and intercrossing lines. Thus 
diamond- or lozenge-shaped islands of skin-folds, some more acutely elongated than 
others, cover nearly the whole bodily frame. On the belly, however, the folds and 
furrows are chiefly longitudinal, and to a great extent are wanting in the said diamond 
sculpturing. In the axillary (fig. 9, Pl. LIII.) and inguinal regions the dermal plice 
alter to minute, fine, and parallel strie, of which more hereafter. 
Neither of the allied forms, Otariide and Phocide, exhibit the lozenge-shaped mark- 
ings above described; nor do any of the other families of the Carnivora possess in such 
a high degree this rugose condition of the skin. In young, fat, and plump puppy dogs 
there is looseness of the integument and often overlapping folds of an irregular cha- 
racter, but nothing to compare with those alluded to in the Walrus. 
Some Pachyderms, particularly the Elephant, manifest similar skin-corrugations, and 
quite as diamond- or lozenge-shaped as in the Walrus, but of course stiff and unwieldy 
ridges compared with the latter. 
In certain Cetaceans (Balznopteridz) there are great longitudinal belly-ridges' which 
obliquely interdigitate; but these do not put on the diamond-shaped figuring distin- 
guishing Trichechus in its juvenile and, may be, adult condition. The stuffed skins found 
in museums of large or full-grown Walruses give no idea whatsoever of the charac- 
teristic in question ; and the figures published by authors of works of travel and natural 
history are at best sadly deficient in definition as respects the actual form and dermal 
contour-lines of the body. 
If it be asked what purpose is served by this loose-fitting and highly channelled gar- 
ment of the Walrus, it may be suggested that for the immense size which the creature 
afterwards obtains, compared with its earlier bulk, some provision is needed admitting 
of distention of the tegument concomitant with growth. No doubt in some measure 
this may be true; but why it should be necessary in the case of Trichechus and relatively 
deficient in the Eared and Earless Seals &c., it is not so easy to explain. I have 
several times had an opportunity of inspecting the young of the Polar Bear (Zhalass- 
arctos maritimus), an animal ultimately attaining dimensions rivalling the Walrus; but 
no such marked provision was apparent. Another plausible reason may be assumed, 
namely, that periodically the Walrus becomes very fat, and during such times the elastic 
capacity of the skin allows of sufficient storage-room for the superabundant adipose 
tissue. But on this point it is worth while to quote Mr. Lamont’, who says, “The 
Walrus has not nearly so much blubber in proportion to his size as the Seal: thus a 
Seal of 600 Ibs. will carry 200 lbs. or 250 lbs. of fat; an ordinary Walrus may weigh 
2000 lbs., but his fat will not exceed that of a Seal; a full-sized old bull Walrus must 
’ See illustration of these in P, Z. 8. 1865, p. 208, fig. 1, a,b; also recently by Professor Turner in Trans. 
Roy. Soc. Edinb. yol. xxyi. pl. 5, figs. 1 & 4 (B. sibbaldii). 
? «Seasons with the Sea-horses,’ Lond. 1861, p. 71. 
