70 Quadrupeds. 
there are several strong bristles. From the shoulders 
the body tapers to the tail, which is very short. The 
eyes are large : there are no external ears ; and the 
tongue is cleft or forked at the end. The body is covered 
with short thick-set hair, which in the common species 
is generally grey, but sometimes brown or blackish. 
There are, however, several species ; and one of them, 
which is called the sea-leopard, has the fur spotted with 
white or yellow. 
Seals are hunted by the Greenlanders for the sake of 
their oil, and also for their skins, which are used for 
making waistcoats and other articles of clothing, and are 
much prized by the fishermen for their great warmth. 
The oil, of which a full grown specimen yields four or 
five gallons, is very clear and transparent, and destitute 
of the unpleasant odour and taste of whale-oil. When 
attacked, they fight with great fury ; but when taken 
young, are capable of being tamed ; they will follow 
their master like a dog, and come to him when called by 
the name given to them. Some years ago a young Seal 
was thus domesticated. It was taken at a little distance 
from the sea, and was generally kept in a vessel full of 
salt water : but sometimes it was allowed to crawl about 
the house, and even to approach the fire. Its natural 
food was regularly procured for it; and it was carried to 
the sea every day, and thrown in from a boat. It used 
to swim after the boat, and always allowed itself to 
be taken back. It lived thus for several weeks, and 
probably would have lived much longer, had it not 
been sometimes too roughly handled. The females in 
this climate bring forth in winter, and rear their 
young upon some sand-bank, rock, or desolate island, 
at some distance from the main land. When they 
suckle their young, they sit up on their hinder legs, 
while the little Seals, which are at first white, with 
woolly hair, cling to the teats, which are four in num- 
ber. In this manner the young continue in the place 
where they are brought forth for twelve or fifteen 
days ; after which the dam brings them down to the 
water, and accustoms them to swim and get their food 
by their own industry. 
