CHAPTER VIII. 
MARINE CARNIVORA: THE SEALS, SEA-LION, AND WALRUS. 
HERE are three 
families of the Sea 
Carnivora,—the 
Fur-seals, or Eared Seals ; 
the Walrus; and the True 
or Earless Seals. 
The first group, which 
sk are called EarED SEALs, and 
occasionally SEA-LIONS and 
SEA-BEARS, have asmall outer 
ear, and when on land the 
hind flippers are folded for- 
wards beneath the body. 
There is a distinct neck, and 
on the flippers are rudiment- 
ary claws. Some of the eared 
seals have the close and fine 
under-fur which makes their 
capture so remunerative. 
Under the skin there is often 
athick layer of blubber, 
8 ee me om oe oe ee 
Z Photo by C. W. Wilson gS Co, Ltd.l 
STELLER’S SEA-LION 
The eared seal, or sea-lion, has the hind flippers divided, and is thus able to move with com- 
| Aberacen 
parative ease on land 
which is also turned to commercial uses by the sealers. 
The Watrus stands by itself. It is a purely Arctic species, whereas fur-seals are found 
from Bering Sea to the Antarctic; and forms in some degree a connecting link between the 
eared seals and the true seals. Like the former, it turns the front flippers forwards and inwards 
when on land; but it resembles the true seals in having no external ears. The upper canine 
teeth are developed into enormous tusks of hard ivory. 
The Common Sgats are the most thoroughly aquatic. The hind flippers seem almost to 
have coalesced with the tail, and are always directed backwards in line with it. They have no 
under-fur. On land they can only use the front flippers to aid their progress. 
Most seals are marine, though some are found in the land-locked sea of Lake Baikal, in 
Central Asia, and the true seals often come up rivers. 
Tue Earep SEALS, OR SEA-LIONS. 
These and the walrus have their hind limbs so far free that they can crawl on land and use 
their flippers for other purposes than swimming; they can comb their hair with them, and walk 
in an awkward way. They are divided into the fur-seals and hair-seals in the language of trade. 
The fur-seals are those from which ladies’ sealskin jackets are made ; the hair-seals are sought 
for their hides and oil. A demand has sprung up for the latter to make coats for automobilists 
to wear when riding at high speed in cold weather. The “ porpoise-hide” boots are really made 
from the skin of the hair-seal. 
Both hair-seals and fur-seals have in common the remarkable habit of assembling in large 
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