. The American natural history; a foundation of useful knowledge of the higher animals of North America. Natural history. ' L THE WALRUS FAMILY 53 thereof, and the value of the catch was over a quarter of a milhon dollars. This species passes through several strongly marked changes of pelage and color. The babj' is covered from nose to flipper-tips with a thick coat of long, woolly hair of snowy white- ness. This, when .shed at six months after birth, is replaced by a coat of bluish gray hair, with light trimmings. On reaching adult age, in its fifth year, this animal is very strikingly marked
. The American natural history; a foundation of useful knowledge of the higher animals of North America. Natural history. ' L THE WALRUS FAMILY 53 thereof, and the value of the catch was over a quarter of a milhon dollars. This species passes through several strongly marked changes of pelage and color. The babj' is covered from nose to flipper-tips with a thick coat of long, woolly hair of snowy white- ness. This, when .shed at six months after birth, is replaced by a coat of bluish gray hair, with light trimmings. On reaching adult age, in its fifth year, this animal is very strikingly marked by black or dark-brown patches grouped together on the sides and back, on a white or yeUowish ground-color apparently in the shape of a harp. This Seal is also called the Saddle-Back, and Greenland Seal. The Hooded Seal' of the North Atlantic is a large species, often attaining 8 feet in length. The old males are distinguished by the possession of a flexible bag of skin on top of the nose, which is capable of being inflated with air until it forms a lofty and remarkable excrescence on the creat- ure's face. This sac is sometimes 10 inches long and 6 inches high. The color of this Seal is dark bluish-gray, marked with irregular light spots. It once came as far south as New .lersey. The Ribbon Seal, or Harlequin Seal,^ in its color pattern is the most remarkable of all living Pinnipeds, and there are many persons who con- sider it the most beautiful member of its Order. On a smooth ground-color, either of blackish- brown or yellowish-gray. Nature has sportively arranged several yards of broad, yellowish-white ribbon. One strip goes around the neck, and ties under the throat. From a point low down on the breast, another starts upward, curves gracefully over the shoulder, drops down in front of the pel- vis, where it comes together, then turns and crosses over the body. In many specimens the uniformit}' of the width of the ribbon is remark- ably well maintained. This Seal is from
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1900, bookp, booksubjectnaturalhistory
