502 CLASS MAMMALIA. 



manner, to discriminate and select it. Notwithstanding 

 this, if the cornets of the nose have any influence over the 

 sense of smelling, the Seal should be able to discriminate 

 with ease the weakest odours, as there is no animal at all 

 comparable to it for the complexity and convolution of the 

 cornets. But one mode of smelling can remain, and 

 that is, to retain the odorous emanations of bodies enclosed 

 within the mouth in contact with the pituitary membrane, 

 thus introducing them into the nose through the medium 

 of the palate. 



This conjecture will not appear ill founded, if we con- 

 sider what very little service these animals must derive 

 from the sense of taste. Their mastication goes no farther 

 than to reduce the fish to such dimensions as may render it 

 barely capable of passing the larynx and the oesophagus. 

 To produce this effect, they generally confine themselves 

 to pressing the fishes between their teeth, not so as to 

 divide them in pieces, but merely to contract them in size. 

 Sometimes they will tear their prey with their claws, but 

 they are often observed to swallow it entire, even when 

 apparently it is too large for their mouths. Thus they are 

 frequently compelled to raise their heads to facilitate the 

 operation of deglutition, so that the weight of the aliments 

 may contribute to make them slide into the oesophagus and 

 stomach, and favour the efforts of the muscles. 



There is little to add on the subject of the sense of touch. 

 It is evident that the Seal must have very limited notions 

 of such qualities of bodies as are transmitted to our under- 

 standing through the medium of this sense. It employs 

 it more likely to ascertain the presence of objects, and to 

 appreciate their form, dimensions, or solidity. This is an 

 object which must be accomplished in the most suitable 

 manner by the mustachios for a carnivorous animal, 

 which most generally cannot be informed of the presence 

 of its prey by sight, by hearing, or by smell. 



