THE SEAL. 



with ftrong ftiarp claws, that enable it to climb the rocks with facility. Its 

 tail is fhort; and its colour various. 



Seals are faid to exhibit a conliderable mare of ftrength and agility in the 

 water, where they find an ample fupply of food and paftime; feafting on 

 various forts of flm, and fporting about mips and boats without the leafl 

 appearance of timidity. They cannot, however, continue long beneath that 

 element, but are frequently obliged to rife for breath, and are often feen 

 floating on the furface of the ocean. 



The female ufually brings forth two young ones at a time, which, 

 for a fhort lpace, are white and woolly: thefe are fuckled on rocks, or 

 in caverns, for about lix weeks, when they are conducted by their mother 

 to the fea, and inft rucled, by her example, in the means of procuring a future 

 fubfiftence. 



In fummer they lleep on rocks, or land banks, from whence, if fiirprifed, 

 they precipitate themfelves into the fea: but if their diftance from that 

 afylum precludes the pofhbility of an immediate efcape, they fcramble along 

 the ground, throwing up the fand or gravel with their hind feet, at the fame 

 time uttering a cry exprellive of lamentation. If overtaken, they make a 

 mo ft vigorous defence with their feet and teeth: yet their docility is great, 

 and their natural difpofition gentle, infomuch, that Dr. Parfons (a) has 

 recorded an inftance of one which was fo completely tamed as to crawl out 

 of its tub at command, ftretch itfelf at full length, extend its neck to falute 

 its mafter, and return into the water purfuant to his direction. 



Prodigious numbers of thefe animals are found in the Cafpian Sea, where 

 they poflefs a great diverfity of colour ; fome being perfectly white, others 

 black, others moufe-coloured, and others fpotted like a Leopard. On 

 crawling to the more they are immediately killed; yet they are followed by 

 others, which fhare a limilar fate. 



At the approach of winter they go up the Jaik, and are killed in great 

 numbers on the floating ice. They are likewife dellroyed, occafionally, by 

 Wolves and Jackalls, for which reafon the Seal hunters are very affiduous 

 in driving away thofe ferocious Quadrupeds. 



(a) Ph. Trans, xlvii. 113. 



