HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 



473 



The attachment of the male to the young is very 

 firong : He defends them with great obftinacy, and fre- 

 quently revenges their lofs upon the female, whom he 

 beats mod cruelly; whilft me crawls to his feet, and 

 feems to deprecate his wrath with the mo ft obfequious 

 geftures. 



The female generally brings forth one, feldom two, at 

 a time. 



They fwim with great eafe, at the rate of about feven 

 miles in an hour. — When wounded, they will feize on a 

 boat, carry it along with them, and fometimes fink it. — 

 They can continue a long time under water. — In climb- 

 ing rocks, they fallen their fore paws, and draw them- 

 felves up. 



Thefe, and all the Seal kind, will live a long time 

 after receiving the moft dreadful wounds ; but the moft 

 trifling blow on the fnout or forehead inftantly kills 

 them. 



The general colour of thefe animals is black. They 

 are covered with a coat of long rough hair, under which 

 is a foft down of bay colour. On the neck of the old 

 ones, the hair is erected, and a little longer than the reft. 



The fat and flefn of the old males are very naufeous ; 

 but thofe of the females and the young, when roafted, 

 are faid to be as good as the flem of a fucking pig. 



