it would be useless and unentertaining.15 It is sufficient to observe, that they agree in the general external characters already mentioned, and internally in two or three more, which are so remarkable as to deserve peculiar attention.

It has been often remarked, that all animals are sagacious in proportion to the size of their brain. It has, in support of this opinion, been alleged, that man, with respect to his bulk, has, of all others, the largest. In pursuance of this assumption, some erroneous speculations have been formed. But, were the size of the brain to determine the quantity of the understanding, the seal would, of all other animals, be the most sagacious; for it has, in proportion, the largest brain of any, even man himself not excepted. However, this animal is possessed of but very few advantages over other quadrupeds; and the size of its brain furnishes it with few powers that contribute to its wisdom or its preservation."

15 See Supplementary Note, p. 473.

16

16 Although deficient in their organs of sense, and the general formation of their members, seals display unusual sagacity, which goes to prove the influence of the brain in all that is intellectual. Of three seals, in the French menagerie, upon which Cuvier made observations, none of them experienced fear in the presence of man, or any other animal. Nothing ever induced them to fly, except approaching so near as to excite in them the apprehension of being trodden under foot, and even in this case they only avoided the danger by removing to a little distance. One of them, indeed, would sometimes threaten with its voice, and strike with its paw; but it would never bite, except in the last extremity. In taking their food, they evinced a similar gentleness of character. Though very voracious, they could behold it withdrawn from them without fear or resistance. They would suffer the fish which had been just given them to be taken away with impunity, and some young dogs, to which one of those seals was attached, would amuse themselves in snatching the fish from his mouth which he was just ready to swallow, without his testifying the least anger. When two seals, however, were allowed to eat together, the usual result was a combat carried on with their paws, which ended by the weakest or most timid leaving the field in possession of his antagonist. With the exception of some species of the monkey, there is scarcely any wild animal more easily tamed than the seal, or capable of a stronger degree of attachment. One of the individuals before-mentioned showed, at first, some degree of shyness, and fled at the show of caresses; but, in a few days, his fear was totally at an end. He soon discovered the nature and intent of such movements, and his confidence became unbounded. This same phoca was shut up with two little dogs, who used to mount upon his back, bark at, and seemed to bite him; and although sports of this kind were at variance with his habits and nature, he soon learned to appreciate their motive, and to take pleasure in them. He never replied to them, but by gentle strokes of his paw, which seemed rather intended to excite than to repress them. If the dogs escaped he would follow them, though walking over ground covered with stones and mud must have been a painful effort to him; and when cold weather came, he and the dogs would lie closely together, to keep each other warm. Another was peculiarly attached to the person who had the care of him; he soon learned to know this person at any distance within his range of vision. He would hold his

This animal differs also in the formation of its tongue from all other quadrupeds. It is forked or shit at the end, like that of serpents; but for what purpose it is thus singularly contrived we are at a loss to know. We are much better informed with respect to a third singularity in its conformation, which is, that the foramen ovale in the heart is open. Those who are in the least acquainted with anatomy, know, that the veins uniting bring their blood to the heart, which sends it into the lungs, and from thence it returns to the heart again to be distributed through the whole body. Animals, however, before they are born, make no use of their lungs; and therefore their blood, without entering their lungs, takes a shorter passage through the very partition of the heart, from one of its chambers to the other, thus passing from the veins directly into those vessels that drive it through the whole frame. But the moment the animal is brought forth, the passage through the partition, which passage is called the foramen ovale, closes up, and continues closed for ever; for the blood then takes its longest course through the lungs to return to the other chamber of the heart again. Now the seal's heart resembles that of an infant in the womb, for the foramen ovale never closes; 17 and although the blood of this animal commonly circulates through the lungs, yet it can circulate without their assistance, as was observed above, by a shorter way. From hence, therefore, we see the manner in which this animal is adapted for continuing under water; for, being under no immediate necessity of breathing, the vital motions are still carried on while it continues at the bottom: so that it can pursue its prey in that element, and yet enjoy all the delights and advantages of ours.

The water is the seal's usual habitation, and whatever fish it can catch its food. Though not equal in instinct and cunning to some terrestrial animals, it is greatly superior to the mute tenants of that element in which it chiefly resides. Although it can continue for several minutes under water, yet it is not able, like fishes, to remain

eyes fixed upon him while he was present, and run forward the moment he saw him approach. Hunger, to be sure, entered for something into the affection he testified towards his keepers. The continual attention which he paid to every motion connected with the gratification of his appetite had made him remark, at the distance of sixty paces, the place which contained his food, although it was devoted to several other uses, and though it was entered but twice aday for the purpose of procuring his nutriment. If he was at liberty when his keeper approached to feed him, he would run forward, and solicit his food by lively motions of his head and the most expressive glances of his eye. This animal exhibited many other instances of considerable intelligence.—ED.

17 I have followed the usual observations of naturalists with respect to the foramen ovale in this animal: I have many reasons, however, to incline me to think that the foramen is not entirely open. But this is not the place for a critical inquiry of this kind.

there for any length of time; and a seal may be drowned, like any other terrestrial animal. Thus it seems superior, in some respects, to the inhabitants of both elements, and inferior in many more. Although furnished with legs, it is, in some measure, deprived of all the advantages of them.18 They are shut up within its body, while nothing appears but the extremities of them, and these furnished with very little motion, but to serve them as fins in the water. The hind-feet, indeed, being turned backwards, are entirely useless upon land; so that when the animal is obliged to move, it drags itself forward like a reptile, and with an effort more painful. For this purpose it is obliged to use its fore-feet, which, though very short, serve to give it such a degree of swiftness that a man cannnot readily overtake it; and it runs toward the sea. As it is thus awkwardly formed for going upon land, it is seldom found at any distance from the seashore, but continues to bask upon the rocks; and when disturbed always plunges down at once to the bottom.

The seal is a social animal, and wherever it frequents, numbers are generally seen together. They are found in every climate, but in the north and icy seas they are particularly numerous. It is on those shores, which are less inhabited than ours, and where the fish resort in greater abundance, that they are seen by thousands, like flocks of sheep, basking on the rocks, and suckling their young. There they keep watch like other gregarious animals; and, if an enemy appear, instantly plunge all together into the water. In fine weather they more usually employ their time in fishing; and generally come on shore in tempests and storms. The seal seems the only animal that takes delight in these tremendous conflicts of nature. In the midst of thunders and torrents, when every other creature takes refuge from the fury of the elements, the seals are seen by thousands sporting along the shore, and delighted with the universal disorder! This, however, may arise from the sea being at that time too turbulent for them to reside in; and they may then particularly come upon land when unable to resist the shock of their more usual element.

As seals are gregarious, so are they also animals of passage, and perhaps the only quadrupeds that migrate from one part of the world to another. The generality of quadrupeds are contented with their native plains and forests, and seldom stray, except when necessity or fear impels them. But seals change their habitation, and are seen in vast multitudes directing their course from one continent to another.19 On the northern coasts of Greenland they are seen to retire in July, and to return again in September. This time it is supposed they go in pursuit of food. But they make a second departure in

March, to cast their young, and return in the beginning of June, young and all, in a great body together, observing in their route a certain fixed time and track, like birds of passage. When they go upon this expedition, they are seen in great droves, for many days together, making towards the north, taking that part of the sea most free from ice, and going still forward into those seas where man cannot follow. In what manner they return, or by what passage, is utterly unknown; it is only observed, that when they leave the coasts to go upon this expedition, they are all extremely fat, but on their return they come home excessively lean.

1

The females, in our climate, bring forth in winter, and rear their young upon some sandbank, rock, or desolate island, at some distance from the continent. When they suckle their young they sit up on their hinder-legs, while these, which are at first white, with woolly hair, cling to the teats, of which there are four in number, near the navel.20 In this manner the young continue in the place where they were 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. As each litter never exceeds above !| three or four, so the animal's cares are not much divided, and the education of her little ones is soon completed. In fact, the young are particularly docile; they understand the mother's voice among the numerous bleatings of the rest of the old ones; they mutually assist each other in danger, and are perfectly obedient to her call. Thus early accustomed to subjection, they continue to live in society, hunt and herd together, and have a variety of tones by which they encourage to pursue, or warn each other of danger. Some compare their voices to the bleating of a flock of sheep, interrupted now and then by the barking of angry dogs, and sometimes the shriller notes of a cat.21 All along the shore, each has its own peculiar rock, of which it takes possession, and where it sleeps when fatigued with fishing, uninterrupted by any of the rest. The only season when their social spirit seems to forsake them, is that when they feel the influences of natural desire. They then fight most desperately, and the male that is victorious keeps all the females to himself. Their combats, on these occasions, are managed with great obstinacy, and yet great justice: two are never seen to fall upon one together; but each has its antagonist, and all fight an equal battle, till one alone becomes victorious.

We are not certainly informed how long the females continue pregnant; but if we may judge from the time which intervenes between their departure from the Greenland coasts and their return, they cannot go above seven or eight months

20 Coeunt in littore resupinata femina.-LIN. SYST 21 Linnæi Syst.

THE MORSE.

THE morse is an animal of the seal kind; but differing from the rest, in a very particular formation of the teeth, having two large tusks growing from the upper jaw, shaped like those of an elephant, but directed downwards; whereas in the elephant they grow upright, like horns; it also wants the cutting teeth, both above and below as to the rest, it pretty much resembles a seal, except that it is much larger, being from twelve to sixteen feet long. The morses are also generally seen to frequent the same places that seals are known to reside in; they have the same habitudes, the same advantages, and the same imperfections. There are, however, fewer varieties of the morse than the seal; and they are rarely found, except in the frozen regions near the pole. They were formerly more numerous than at present; and the savage natives of the coasts of Greenland destroyed them in much greater quantities, before those seas were visited by European ships upon the whale-fishery, than now. Whether these animals have been since actually thinned by the fishers, or have removed to some more distant and unfrequented shores, is not known; but certain it is, that the Greenlanders, who once had plenty, are now obliged to toil more assiduously for subsistence; and as the quantity of their provisions decrease, for they live mostly upon seals, the numbers of that poor people are every day diminishing. As to the teeth, they are generally from two to three feet long; and the ivory is much more esteemed than that of the elephant, being whiter and harder. The fishers have been known formerly to kill three or four hundred at once; and along those shores where they chiefly frequented, their bones are still seen lying in prodigious quantities. In this manner a supply of provisions, which would have supported the Greenland nation for ages, has been, in a few years, sacrificed to those who did not use them, but who sought them for the purposes of avarice and luxury!

THE MANATI.

WE come, in the last place, to an animal that terminates the boundary between quadrupeds and fishes. Instead of a creature preying among the deeps, and retiring upon land for repose or refreshment, we have here an animal that never leaves the water, and is enabled to live only there. It cannot be called a quadruped, as it has but two legs only: nor can it be called a fish, as it is covered with hair. In short, it forms the link that unites those two great tribes to each other; and may be indiscriminately called the last of beasts, or the first of fishes.

We have seen the seal approaching nearly to the aquatic tribes, by having its hind-legs thrown

back on each side of the tail, and forming something that resembled the tail of a fish; but upon examining the skeleton of that animal, its title to the rank of a quadruped was observed plainly to appear, having all the bones of the hinder legs and feet as complete as any other animal what

soever.

But we are now come to a creature that not only wants the external appearance of hinder legs, but, when examined internally, will be found to want them altogether. The manati is somewhat shaped in the head and the body like a seal; it has also the fore-legs or hands pretty much in the same manner, short and webbed, but with four claws only; these also are shorter in proportion than in the former animal, and placed nearer the head; so that they can scarcely assist its motions upon land. But it is in the hinder parts that it chiefly differs from all others of the seal kind; for the tail is perfectly that of a fish, being spread out broad like a fan, and wanting even the vestiges of those bones which make the legs and feet in others of its kind. The largest of these are about twenty-six feet in length; the skin is blackish, very tough and hard; when cut, as black as ebony; and there are a few hairs scattered, like bristles, of about an inch long. The eyes are very small, in proportion to the animal's head; and the ear-holes, for it has no external ears, are so narrow as scarcely to admit a pin's head. The tongue is so short, that some have pretended it has none at all; and the teeth are composed only of two solid white bones, running the whole length of both jaws, and formed merely for chewing, and not tearing its vegetable food. The female has breasts placed forward, like those of a woman; and she brings forth but one at a time: this she holds with her paws to her bosom; there it sticks, and accompanies her wherever she goes.

This animal can scarcely be called amphibious, as it never entirely leaves the water, only advancing the head out of the stream to reach the grass on the river sides. Its food is entirely upon vegetables; and, therefore, it is never found far in the open sea, but chiefly in the large rivers of South America; and often above two thousand miles from the ocean. It is also found in the seas near Kamtschatka, and feeds upon the weeds that grow near the shore. There are likewise level greens at the bottom of some of the Indian bays, and there the manatiès are harmlessly seen grazing among turtles and other crustaceous fishes, neither giving nor fearing any disturbance.

These animals, when unmolested, keep together in large companies, and surround their young ones.24 They bring forth most commonly in autumn; and it is supposed they go with young eighteen months, for the time of generation is in spring.

The manati has no voice nor cry, for the only

24 Acta Pretopolitana.

noise it makes is by fetching its breath. Its internal parts somewhat resemble those of a horse; its intestines being longer, in proportion, than those of any other creature, the horse only excepted.

The fat of the manati, which lies under the skin, when exposed to the sun, has a fine smell and taste, and far exceeds the fat of any sea animal; it has this peculiar property, that the heat of the sun will not spoil it, nor make it grow rancid: its taste is like the oil of sweet almonds; and it will serve very well, in all cases, instead of butter: any quantity may be taken inwardly with safety, for it has no other effect than keeping the body open. The fat of the tail is of a harder consistence: and, when boiled, is more delicate than the former. The lean is like beef, but more red; and may be kept a long while, in the hottest days, without tainting. It takes up a long time in boiling; and, when done, eats like beef. The fat of the young ones is like pork; the lean is like veal; and, upon the whole, it is very probable that this animal's flesh somewhat resembles that of turtle; since they are fed in the same element, and upon the very same food. The turtle is a delicacy well known among us: our luxuries are not as yet sufficiently heightened to introduce the manati; which if it could be brought over, might singly suffice for a whole corporation! 25

25 To those amphibious quadrupeds may be added the duck-billed platypus, or ornithorynchus, described by Dr. Shaw in his Naturalist's Miscellany.' The body is depressed, and has some resemblance to that of an otter in miniature; and is covered with a soft beaver-like fur; but its most striking peculiarity is the strange situation of its mouth or snout, exhibiting the perfect resemblance of the beak of a duck engrafted on the head of a quadruped; and so accurate is the similitude, that at first view it naturally excites the idea of some deceptive preparation by artificial means. These animals have hitherto been found only in the rivers of New Holland. They are expert swimmers, and seldom quit the water. On shore, they crawl rather than walk, occasioned by the shortness of the limbs, and comparative length of the body. They probably live on worms and aquatic insects.-ED.

NOTE. Of the Seal Species.

The Ursine Seal. The males are about eight feet in length, but the females are much smaller. Their bodies are thick, decreasing somewhat towards the tail. The nose projects like that of a pug-dog; and the eyes are large and prominent. The fore-legs are about two feet in length, and, with the feet, have somewhat the appearance of turtle's fins The hindlegs are rather shorter, and have five toes separated by a web. The general colour of the hair is black, and that of the old ones is tipped with gray. The

females are ash-coloured.

The Ursine Seals live in families, every male being surrounded by from eight to fifty females, whom he guards with the utmost jealousy; each family keeps separate from the others, although they lie by thousands on the shores which they inhabit. The males exhibit great affection towards their young, and equal tyranny towards the females.-They are fierce

in the protection of the former; and, should any or e attempt to carry off their cub, they will stand on the Should she happen to drop it, the male instantly defensive, while the female conveys it in her mouth. quits his enemy, falls on her, and beats ber against the stones till he leaves her for dead. But if the young one is entirely carried off, he melts into the greatest affliction, shedding tears, and exhibiting every mark of sorrow.

Those animals that, through age or impotence, are deserted by the females, withdraw themselves from society, and not only become excessively spleneto their own stations, as to prefer death to the loss tic, peevish, and quarrelsome, but so much attached of them. If they perceive another animal approaching them, they are instantly roused from their indo lence, snap at the encroacher, and give him battle. During the fight, they sometimes intrude on the station of their neighbour, who then joins in the contest; so that at length the civil discord spreads through the whole shore, attended with hideous growls, their note of war. This is one of the causes of the disputes which take place among these irritable creatures. But a much more serious cause is, when an attempt is made to seduce away any of their females. A battle is the sure consequence of the insult; and sad indeed is the fate of the vanquished animal; he instantly loses his whole seraglio, who all desert When him and attach themselves to the victor. only two of the animals are engaged in combat, they rest at intervals, lying down near each other; then, rising both at once, renew the battle. They fight with their heads erect, and turn them aside to avoid the blows. As long as their strength continues them fails, the other seizes him with his teeth, and equal, they only use their fore-paws; but if one of throws him on the ground. The wounds they inflict are very deep, and like the cut of a sabre; and, it is said, that in the month of July, scarcely one is to be seen that has not some mark of this description. At the conclusion of an engagement, such as are able throw themselves into the sea, in order to wash off the blood. They are exceedingly tenacious of life, and will sometimes live a fortnight after receiving such wounds as would immediately have destroyed any other animal.

The Hooded Seal. The head is without ears; there are four fore-teeth in each jaw: the fore-feet are undivided; the hind-feet are without nails. It inhabits the coast of Dalmatia. The skin of the neck folds into the resemblance of a monk's hood; the hair is short, dusky, and spotted with ash; above the navel is a tawny spot. It is from seven to eight feet in length.

The

The Bottle-Nosed Seal. The male of this species is extremely large, sometimes measuring from fifteen to twenty feet in length; he is also distinguished from the female by a large snout, projecting five or six inches below the end of the upper jaw. feet are short, and the hinder ones so webbed as to appear like fins. The general colour of the hair is ferruginous. Their fat is so considerable, as to lie ten or twelve inches deep between the skin and the flesh. Hence, when they are in motion, they appear almost like immense skins filled with oil, the tremulous motion of the blubber being plainly discernible beneath the surface. They have also so much blood, that if deeply wounded in a dozen places, it will gush out at every one, and spout to a considerable distance. Their usual voice is a kind of grunting, or sometimes a snorting like that of a horse in full vigour. They are of a lethargic disposition, and when at rest they are not easily disturbed. Their time seems pretty equally divided between the land and the sea, as they continue out during the summer, and come on shore at the commencement of winter.

They feed on the grass and verdure which grows on the banks of the fresh-water streams: and when