THE LEONINE SEAL* ^09 



by them, for six days. They were soon reconciled to 

 him; and would observe, with great calmness,, what 

 he was doing, he down near him, and even suffer 

 him to seize and play with their cubs. — They often 

 dispute for the possession of females ; and he had an 

 opportunity of seeing several of these conflicts- 

 He once was witness to a duel between two males 

 which lasted three days, and in which one of them re- 

 ceived above a hundred w^ounds. The Ursine Seals 

 which were among them never interfer d, but always 

 hastened out of the way of their battles. 



They bring forth only a single young one at a birth ; 

 and, strange to say, the parents seem to exhibit to- 

 wards this very little share of affection : they some- 

 times tread it to death through carelessness, and 

 will suffer ir to be killed before them without con- 

 cern. The cubs are not sportive, like most other 

 young animals, but seem cntiiely stupified by much 

 sleep. The parents take them mto the water, and 

 teach them to swim : and when they are tired they 

 climb on the back of their dam ; but the male 

 often pushes them olf, to habituate them to this 

 exercise. 



Each male has from two to four feniales, which 

 he treats with great kindness ; and he seems very 

 fond of their carresses. In their actions these ani- 

 mals seem much allied to the Ursine Seals. The 

 old ones bellow like bulls, and the young bleat like 

 sheep *. — They live on fish, and several of the ma- 

 rine animals. During two of the s'-mme* months 



* Venn. A ret. Zool. i. M-l. 



O 4 



