Home › S › Seal (Zo logy the family Phocid)

Seal (Zo logy the family Phocid)

in zoölogy, the family Phocidæ or seal tribe, are, of all four-limbed mammiferous animals, those which display the most complete adaptation to residence in the water. The head is round, and the nose, which is broad, resembles that of SEAL SEA LION When incited by natural desire, a variety of cries by which they encoursuccess. age or pursue, express apprehension or sake them; they then fight most desperhowever, their social spirit seems to forately; and the victorious male always keeps a watchful eye over those females whom his prowess has secured. a dog, with the same look of intelligence society, hunt and herd together, and have and mild and expressive physiognomy.

It has no It has large whiskers, oblong nostrils, and great black sparkling eyes. external ears, but a valve exists in the have a similar valve; and the clothing as to keep out the water; the nostrils have a similar valve; and the clothing of the body consists of stiff glossy hairs, very closely set against the skin. The body is elongated and conical, gradually tapering from the shoulders to the tail.

The spine is provided with strong muscles, which bend it with considerable force; and this movement is of great assistance to the propulsion of the body.

Though furnished with the same number of bones as in quadrupeds, they are united to the body in such a singular manner, and so covered with a membrane, that they would rather resemble fins than feet, did not the sharp strong claws with which ogy. The limbs, in fact, are converted into oars and paddles. The anterior pair have the arm and forearm so short, that little more than the paw advances from the body. The hinder limbs are directed backward, so as almost to seem like a continuation of the body; the thigh and leg are very short, and the foot is formed on the same plan as the forepaw, the toes being in contact, however, and the web folded, when it is not in use as a paddle, but being spread out when the animal is swimming. When on land, or on masses of ice, ice. the movements of the particularly awkward, its body seal are particular being forced onward by the action of the forelimbs only, and the wriggling motion of the abdominal muscles. The seals live in herds, more or less numerous, along the shores of the sea; and on unin tion of the abdominal muscles. The seals live in herds, more or less numerous, along the shores of the sea; and on uninsuckle their young, and exhibit the most tender solicitude for their welfare. They are easily tamed, become strongly attached to their keepers, recognize them at a distance, and seem to be endowed tached to their keepers, recognize them gence. The form of their teeth and jaws shows them to be carnivorous; and their food consists of fish, crabs, and sea birds, which they are enabled to surprise while swimming. Seals swim with great rapidity and ease. They can remain under water for a considerable time.

These animals produce two or three swimming. Seals swim with great rapid- ity and ease. They can remain under for six or seven weeks, generally in the cavernous recesses of rocks, after which they take to the sea. The young are refor six or seven weeks, generally in the obedient to the voice of their dams amid the numerous clamors of the flock, and mutually assist each other when in danger or distress. They continue to live in The common seal, Phoca vitulina, flesh. The skins though their covering is hair, not fur, are much valued. The is three to five feet long, and is much hunted for its skins, and for its oil and flesh. The skins though their covering on the Arctic coasts of Europe and Ameris hair, not fur, are much valued. The its oil and skins. There are several other species in the North Atlantic, while some ica, and is killed in great numbers for its oil and skins. There are several other species in the North Atlantic, while some bears, the former having only long coarse hair, while the latter have in addition a species extend to the tropics. There is as the Otariida, or sea lions and sea bears, the former having only long coarse hair, while the latter have in The SEA LION (q. v.) is short, soft, and delicate fur, which, under found on both coasts of the Pacific from the name of seal skin, is highly valued in commerce. an Antarctic species. The celebrated N.

California and Japan N., and there is fined to the north Pacific, breeding only species Callorhinus ursinus, which yields Sea, and two of the Commander Islands, fined to the north Pacific, breeding only on two of the Pribilof Islands, in Bering seals; 25,381 were taken. See FUR:

Sea, and two of the Commander Islands, further W. In 1919 there were 524,264 fur seal BERING SEA: SEA ELEPHANT. in addition a