the length of the whole body, and the stomach was uniformly found empty."

These animals are found in amazıng numbers in the islands off the North-West point of America, and so crowd the shore, that they oblige the traveller to quit it, and scale the neighbouring rocks. They do not land much on the Asiatic coast. They are as regularly migratory as birds of passage. They first appear off Kamskatka and the Kuriles in early spring, and are then very fat, and the females all pregnant. They continue on shore for two months, during which the young are produced. Except their employment in suckling their young, they pass their time in total inactivity, the males sink into the most profound indolence and into deep sleep; nor are they ever roused except by some great provocation. They live in families; every male being surrounded by a seraglio of from eight to fifty females, which he guards with the jealousy of an Eastern monarch. Each family keeps separate from the others, notwithstanding they lie in thousands along the shore, every family, including the young, amounting to about 100 or 120: even at sea the distinctness of the families may be perceived.

The males show great affection for their young, and are sometimes tyrannical towards their females. They are fierce in protecting their offspring, and should any one attempt to take their cub, they stand on the defensive, and the mother carries it off in her mouth. Should she happen to drop it, the male

R

instantly quits the enemy, falls on her, and beats her against the stones, till he leaves her for dead. As soon as she recovers she crawls to his feet in the most suppliant manner, and bedews them with her tears, whilst he keeps stalking about in the most insolent manner; but if the cub is carried off, he melts likewise, sheds tears, and shows every mark of deep sorrow.

Those animals which are destitute of females, and from age are deserted by them, withdraw from the society, and grow excessively splenetic, peevish, and quarrelsome; they are also very furious; and so attached to their selected stations, as to prefer death to the loss of them. They are enormously fat, and emit a most nauseous and rank swell. If one perceives another approach its seat, he is instantly - roused from his indolence, snaps at the encroacher, and gives battle. During the fight they insensibly encroach on the stations of others; this creates new offence, so that at length the civil discord spreads along the whole shore, attended with hideous growls, their note of war. Sometimes they will attack any one that passes near them; when they see a person approaching, some of them immediately throw themselves upon him, and the others prepare for contest; they furiously bite the stones that are thrown at them, and run upon him who throws them, and even if you knock out their teeth and their eyes, they will not flee. In fact, none of them dare abandon his post, because the others would in that case

attack him; and if he commences to fly, the others suddenly surround him and severely punish him. "I doubt not," adds Steller, "that many of us would have been killed by them, could they have used their feet on land as well as in the water. It is dangerous to engage in contest with them in the open plain, and next to impossible to escape from them. Their awkwardness and difficulty in ascending eminences constitutes the principal safety of the assailants. Sometimes I have been beset by them for six hours together; and have been obliged at last to ascend a precipice, to get rid of the infuriated creatures, at the imminent peril of my life."

They are very tenacious of life, and will live a fortnight after receiving wounds which would have immediately destroyed any other animal.

Besides their notes of war they have several others. When they are amusing themselves on shore, they low like a cow, and after victory chirp like a cricket; and upon receiving a wound, complain like a whelp.

This Ursine Seal is an object of terror to common Seals and Sea-Otters, whilst it stands in awe of the Sea-Lions, and leaves to them their favourite haunts on shore. The older animals are in no fear of mankind, unless suddenly surprised, when they hurry off by thousands into the sea, swim about, and stare at the novelty of their disturbers.

They swim with amazing swiftness, at the rate of eight miles an hour, and often on their back; they

dive well, and continue long under water. If struck with a harpoon in that element, they drag the boat, carrying it along with great impetuosity almost as if flying, and will sometimes sink it. Even out of the water, the females especially can run so rapidly, that it requires a swift person to get up to them.

THE URSINE SEAL, OR SEA-BEAR OF

FORSTER.

PLATE XXII.

Otaria Ursina, Cav. Des. 381, O. Forsterii, Less. Ours Marine, Buff.

WE are satisfied that the well-instructed Naturalist will be the last to object to our thus separating the Ursine Seal of the southern from that of the northern hemisphere. Not that we shall attempt to establish the distinction on scientific principles. Even this could easily be done, in appearance, by copying from systematic works, but we prefer withholding statements which are probably erroneous, and will at once adduce from the original authorities such real information as our space admits.

In "Dampier's Voyage," we find it stated that "these animals exist in thousands in the island of Juan Fernandez. They are the size of an ordinary calf, and their head is shaped like a dog's; their hair is of different colours, as black, brownish-grey, and spotted, appearing very smooth and agreeable when they first come out of the water. They have so fine and short a fur, that I have seen nothing like it. There