COMMON SEAL. 
253 
produce their young in the winter season, and 
seldom bring more than two at a birth. It is said 
that they suckle the young for about the space 
of a fortnight on the spot where they were born, 
after which they take them out to sea, and in- 
struct them in swimming and seeking for their 
food, which consists not only of fish, but of sea- 
weeds^ &c. cScc. When the young are fatigued, 
the parent is said to carry them on its back. The 
Seal is supposed to be a long-lived animal, and 
Euffon is even inclined to suppose that it may at- 
tain to the age of an hundred years. The voice 
of a full-grown Seal is a hoarse kind of sound, 
not unlike the barking of a dog: that of the 
young resembles the mewing of a kitten. They 
have, however, like most other quadrupeds, va- 
rious inflexions of voice, according to the passions 
with which they are inspired. They are said to 
dehght in thunder-storms, and at such periods to 
sit on the rocks and contemplate with seeming- 
delight the convulsions of the elements; in this 
respect differing widely from the terrestrial quad- 
rupeds, which are extremely terrified at such 
times. Seals are generally very fat, and are 
hunted in the northern regions for the sake of 
their oil, which forms a great article of com- 
merce : their skins also are much used for various 
oeconomical purposes. 
