462 
THE SEAL. 
appearing one after the other when it 
ceased.’ 
“But, while they are thus confident and 
friendly under favourable circumstances, 
they soon learn distrust and defiance; 
and in places where they are liable to be 
molested they constantly place one of their 
number to act as a sentinel and give warning 
of danger,—so that it becomes very difficult 
to surprise a herd of them. Many species— 
especially the walrus—are very helpful to 
each other, and if one is wounded the 
others will rally round him, and often suc¬ 
ceed in rescuing him from his persecutors. 
Those species which practise polygamy, how¬ 
ever, have furious battles among themselves, 
in which many are killed and wounded. 
“The general food of the seal is fish,— 
though they sometimes eat sea-weed and 
other vegetables; and they have an extra¬ 
ordinary habit of devouring large stones, 
sometimes the size of a man’s fist. It has 
been said that during the time when the fe¬ 
males remain on shore for the purpose of 
bringing forth and suckling their young, 
they abstain entirely from food for six weeks 
or even longer. The males also keep very 
