410 THE WALRUS, OR MORSE. 



race. Numerous popular names are attached to the Common Seal, as, Sea-dog, Sea-calf, Sea- 

 cat ; Scotch fishermen call it Telkie, and Tang-fish. In West Scotland it is Rawn. The 

 Germans term it Sea-hound. The Esquimaux call it Tupelo. The Harp Seal is called Saddle- 

 back by English sailors, and White-coats and Bed-lampiers by the Newfoundland sealers. The 

 Greenlanders name it Atak. 



Stragglers find their way into the temperate climate, and this species is now recognized as 

 belonging to the fauna of the northern portions of both continents. 



r A full-grown Harp Seal weighs two hundred and thirty pounds ; the skin and blubber 

 weighing one hundred pounds. 



The Banded Seal is a very rare form. It is found among the Aleutian Islands, near the 

 coast of Alaska, bordering on the Behring' s Sea. Until lately no specimen of this Seal had 

 been added to the collections in this country. At present two are known : one in the Smith- 

 sonian Institution, and the other in the American Museum of Natural History, in Central 

 Park. The black and white markings render it wholly different in color from any other 

 species. The arrangement of the bands is pleasingly regular, distinguishing it from all others. 

 The female has no bands, but is of a dull uniform color. 



The Ringed Seal {Callocephalus hispidus) is found in the far north. It is sometimes 

 called the Foetid Seal {CallocepJialus fcetidus) and Hoe-rat of the English sailors. It secretes 

 a foetid substance that is excessively disagreeable. Homer refers to this : 



" Web-footed seals forsake the stormy swell, 

 And sleep in herds, exhaling nauseous smell." 



A species called Richards' s Seal {Halicyon richardi) inhabits the Columbia River and 

 North Pacific coast. 



Peale, of Wilkes's Expedition, discovered a Seal, which inhabits the coast of Oregon and 

 California. Its systematic name is Phoca pealii. 



The Bearded Seal {Phoca barbata), also called Leporine Seal, and Great Seal, is distin- 

 guished by having larger moustache^, and by being one of the largest of the order. It is 

 particularly prized by the natives on account of its great size, the skins being useful for 

 making tackle, etc. Its length is about fourteen feet. 



The White-Cheeked Seal {Phoca naurica) inhabits the North Pacific coasts. It is closely 

 allied to the preceding. 



Another group of Seals, having characteristics differing from the preceding, embraces as an 

 American species the Gray Seal (Halichorus gryphics). It is the Haaf-fish mentioned by Sir 

 Walter Scott in the " Pirate." 



This species is thought to resemble the walrus in some features. The singularly dispro- 

 portionate size of the brain to its great bulk, is accompanied by a lack of intelligence. It does 

 not, in common with the walrus, exhibit that pleasing, bright, and knowing aspect that is 

 common to all other species. The brain of one eight feet in length did not exceed that of 

 a Common Seal of four feet in length. 



Among all the strange forms which are found among the members of the phocine family, 

 there is none which presents a more terribly grotesque appearance than that of the Walrus, 

 Morse, or Sea Horse, as this extraordinary animal is indifferently termed. 



The most conspicuous part of this animal is the head, with its protuberant muzzle bristling 

 with long, wiry hairs, and the enormous canine teeth that project from the upper jaw. These 

 huge teeth measure, in large specimens, from fourteen inches to two feet in length, the girth 

 at the base being nearly seven inches, and their weight upwards of ten pounds each. In 

 ordinary specimens, however, the length is about one foot. In some examples they approach 

 each other towards their points, and in others they diverge considerably, forming in the 

 opinion of some writers two distinct species. As, however, the relative position of these teeth 

 varies slightly in every specimen that has yet been examined, the structure seems to be of 

 hardly sufficient importance for the establishment of a separate species. The ivory which is 



