THE ICE-BEAB. 



135 



guishes himself by his white sleek-haired fur, hut also by a much 

 longer neck. His half-webbed feet show at once that he is born for 

 a sea life, and he is able to swim three miles an hour, and to dive 

 for a considerable length of time. On land he runs as fast again 

 as a man, and often surprises his prey, as his tread upon the snow 

 is almost inaudible. He principally lives on fish, but also on 

 eeals, birds, foxes, reindeer, and even at- 

 tacks man — particularly when pinched 

 with hunger. But in his turn he falls 

 a prey to the inhabitants of the Arctic 

 regions, who eat the flesh, though it is 

 very coarse, and use the skin for 



coverings of various kinds. He is a cunning hunter, though 

 not always successful. Thus one sunshiny day, Admiral 

 Beechey saw a large walrus rise in a 

 pool of water not very far from where 

 he stood. After looking around, the 

 grim-visaged creature drew his greasy 

 carcase upon the ice, where he rolled 

 about for a time, and at length laid 

 himself down to sleep. A bear, which 

 had probably been observing his move- 

 ments, crawled carefully upon the ice 

 on the opposite side of the pool, and 

 began to roll about also, but apparently 

 more with design than amusement, pro- 

 gressively lessening the distance that intervened between him 

 and his prey. The suspicious walrus drew himself up, prepara- 

 tory to a precipitate retreat, when immediately the bear remained 

 motionless, as if in the act of sleep ; but after a time he began to 

 lick his paws, and clean himself, and occasionally to encroach a 

 little more upon his intended victim. This time, however, his 

 cunning was useless, for the walrus suddenly plunged into the 

 pool, and though the bear, throwing off all disguise, rushed to 

 the spot and followed him in an instant into the water, he was 

 most likely disappointed of a meal that would have made up for 

 a long period of fasting. The ice-bear is everywhere at home 

 within the Arctic circle, and particularly abounds on Spitzbergen 

 and the other small islands of that sea. He sometimes comes 

 floating on drift ice to the north coasts of Iceland, Norway, 

 and Newfoundland, but is soon killed by the inhabitants. 



sysagsp 



Arctic Walrus. 



