SE As OBE E.R 
The fkin is extremely thick, covered clofely with long hair, re- 
markably black and glofly ; and beneath that is a foft down. The 
hair fometimes varies to filvery. The hair of the young is foft and 
brown. 
The length, from nofe to tail, is about three feet; that of the tail 
thirteen inches and a half. The tail is depreffed, full of hair in the 
middle, and fharp-pointed. The weight of the biggeft, feventy or 
eighty pounds. 
Thefe are the moft local animals of any we are acquainted with, 
being entirely confined between lat. 44 and 60, and weft longitude 
126-to 150 eaft from Londox, in the coaft and feas on the north-eaft 
parts of America; and again only between the Kamt/chatkan fhores 
and the ifles which intervene between them and America. They 
land alfo on the Kuri/ iflands; but never are feen in the channel be- 
tween the north-eaft part of Sidiria and 4merica. 
They are moft extremely harmlefs, and moft fingularly affeétionate 
to theiryoung. They will never defert them, and will even pine to 
death on being robbed of them, and {ftrive to breathe their laft on 
the {pot where they experienced the misfortune. 
It is fuppofed that they bring but one at a time. They go be- 
tween eight and nine months with young, and fuckle it almoft the 
whole year. The young never quits its dam till it takes a mate. 
They are monogamous, and very conftant. 
They bring forth on land: often carry the young between their 
teeth, fondle them, and frequently fling them up and catch them 
again in their paws. Before the young can fwim, the old ones will 
take them in their fore feet, and fwim about upon their backs. 
They run very fwiftly : fwim fometimes on their fides, on their 
backs, and often in a perpendicular direction. They are very fpor- 
tive, embrace each other, and kifs. 
They never make any refiftance ; but endeavour, when attacked, 
to faye themfelves by flight: when they have efcaped to fome dif- 
tance, they will turn back, and hold one of their fore feet over their 
N eyes, 
Sizx. 
PLack.. 
Manners, 
