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THE LIVING WORLD. 
The Seal, though a mammal, is almost wholly aquatic, its terrene exist¬ 
ence being limited to the brief periods during which it lies luxuriously on the 
shore, to which it has shambled. Passing most of its life in the water, its 
structure exhibits that wonderful adjustment to function and condition which 
converts a genuine study of natural history into the most exciting and most 
effective means of acquainting one with the marvellous wisdom of the Creator, 
and of the harmony which always exists among the laws by which He governs 
the universe. The elongation of the body; the legs, whicn are a compromise 
between legs and fins, with a preponderance in iavor of the fin; and a skin 
impervio-is to moisture, are among the more evident of the seal's provision for 
the life which it is to lead. The seal is easily trained, and can be taught to 
THE MORSE. 
lead its services as a fisherman to its owner. The strangeness, gentleness, 
tractability and affectionateness of the seal make it a popular favorite, and in 
aquariums few creatures attract a more unceasing interest from the visitor. It 
will be remembered that even Achilles had a vulnerable spot, and the seal's 
weakness lies in its nose, upon which it is struck when captured The seal 
is, after its sort, a vocalist, and while its moan displays even less variety than 
the Scottish bag-pipe, it is not unpleasant when a number exercise themselves 
in antiphonal Choruses. More than this, the seal is fond of music when he is 
not the performer, and many a story is told of a musician finding among the 
seals an unsought but not uninterested or unappreciative audience. 
The seal retires to the land when the tender age of its cub or cubs (for 
