23. _The COMMON SEAL_ (Phoca vitulina, Fig. 2) _is a marine quadruped
with a large and round head, no external ears, the neck smooth, the body
tapering gradually to the tail, the legs smooth, and all the feet
webbed._
_This animal is found on almost all the northern shores of Britain; and
is generally from four to six feet in length. Its colour varies, being
dusky, whitish, grey, black, or spotted._
Seals are eagerly pursued by the inhabitants of nearly all the northern
countries of Europe. They are found in hollow rocks or caverns near the
sea, and are killed with guns, clubs, or spears. The usual season for
hunting them is during the months of October and November.
The _flesh_ of seals is much esteemed by the Greenlanders; and their
_skins_ are extremely serviceable. These are converted into clothing; into
coverings for beds, houses, and boats; and into thongs, and straps of every
description. The Americans fill them with air and make a kind of rafts of
them. The _fat_ yields a clear and much sweeter oil than that obtained from
whales, and is used by the Greenlanders in their lamps, and frequently also
with their food. The _fibres_ of the tendons are said to be a stronger and
better substance for sewing with than either thread or silk. Before the
introduction of iron the _bones_ of seals were used for the points of
weapons both for chase and war. The _skins of the entrails_ are employed
instead of glass in windows; and, sewed together, are formed into shirts
and other under parts of dress.
When the long and coarse hair of the seal is pulled off, a fine, short,
silky, and somewhat fawn-coloured down is left, which in this country is a
fashionable _fur_ for ornamenting ladies' dresses. This fur woven with silk
is also manufactured into shawls, which are of extremely soft and delicate
texture. Seal _skins_, when tanned and properly dressed, are converted into
a valuable leather for shoes and other uses.
24. _The LEONINE SEAL, or SEA LION_ (Phoca jubata) _is a marine quadruped
which inhabits the shores of Kamschatka and Greenland, is sixteen or
eighteen feet in length, and is distinguished by the male having its neck
covered with a mane._
The great quantity of oil which is yielded by these seals is the cause of
their being pursued and killed, by the inhabitants of all countries on the
shores of which they are found. The _skins_ of the younger animals are
made, in Greenland, into garments for women; and those of the old ones are
used for beds. When the latter are freed from the hair, they are applied as
coverings for boats and houses. They are also sometimes sewed together as
bags to contain provision, and for other uses. The _skins of the
intestines_ are used for the same purposes as those of the common seal; and
the _teeth_ are adapted for the points of arrows and spears.
There are numerous other species of seals, all of which are in some
respects useful to mankind, and chiefly for the purposes which have been
above enumerated.
25. _The DOG_ (Canis familiaris) _is an animal characterized by Linnæus
as having the tail recurved, and bent towards the left side of the body._
_Dogs are found in a wild state in Africa and South America._
As an attached and faithful servant of man, the dog is equalled by no
animal. Though destitute of the faculty of thought, he has all the ardour
of sentiment. He is all zeal, warmth, and obedience; and, forgetful of
injuries, he seeks only how he may gain the favour and affection of his
master. During the night he guards the house, and, by the noise he makes,
he gives notice of the approach of depredators. He also protects the
property committed to his care, and secures it from being plundered. He
directs the steps of the blind, and, in some instances, has even been
instructed to pick up money, and put it into his master's hat. Being
endowed with great strength and fleetness of foot, some kinds of dogs are
trained to the chase, and taught not only to pursue and to destroy noxious
and savage beasts, but also to hunt for and secure animals as food for
their master. And there are many countries, both of the old and new
Continent, in which, if man were deprived of this faithful ally, he would
unsuccessfully resist the foes that surround him, and that are incessantly
on the watch to destroy his labour, attack his person, or encroach upon his
property.
But it is not only during his life that the dog is serviceable to mankind.
After death his _skin_ is converted, by the inhabitants of Greenland, into
garments, and particularly into stockings. It is also used for the
coverlets of beds. Dogs' skins in our own country are tanned, and applied
to several useful purposes, as leather, and particularly for gloves and
shoes. The _hair_ of some kinds of dogs is so thick and matted that, like
wool, it is capable of being converted into cloth. A small kind of King
Charles's dog is mentioned by Dr. Anderson to have had long and soft hair,
covering a finer sort, which might, with advantage, have been woven into
shawls. He speaks of another kind which had a very thick fleece, much
resembling that of some of the Lincolnshire sheep; and of a third kind with
close frizzed wool, which was shorn annually and made into stockings. He,
however, remarks that the finest hair he ever saw upon a dog, and which
indeed for softness and gloss more resembled silk than hair, grew upon a
very small kind of Maltese dog. This, if manufactured, might have been
converted into shawls of uncommon softness and beauty. The fleece of a
water dog, belonging to a farrier in the horse artillery, was manufactured
into hats, and answered this purpose sufficiently well. Each fleece was
sufficient for two hats, and was considered to be worth about twelve
shillings.
Disgusting as it may appear to us, the _flesh_ of the dog is a favourite
food in many countries. The Greenlanders eat it with avidity. In the
markets of Canton, dogs are exposed for sale in the same manner as other
animal food. The negroes of Africa prefer their flesh to that of any other
quadrupeds; for dogs are sold in some of their markets at as dear a rate as
mutton or venison. With the North American Indians they are considered a
great delicacy; and we are informed by Pliny, that the Romans were so
partial to this kind of food, that a fricassee of sucking puppies was
considered a favourite dish with even the most notorious Roman epicures.
There are near thirty distinct and well ascertained varieties of the dog;
of which fourteen are considered to be natives of our own island.
26. _The SIBERIAN DOG is distinguished by having its ears erect, and the
hair of its body and tail very long._
To the inhabitants of many northern countries of the world, these dogs are
of essential service. They are employed in drawing sledges over the frozen
snow, five of them being yoked to each sledge, two and two, with the fifth
in front as a leader. These sledges generally carry only one person each,
who sits sideways, and guides the animals by reins fastened to their
collars; but more particularly by his voice, and a crooked stick which he
carries in his hand. If the dogs be well trained, the charioteer has only
to strike the ice with his stick to make them go to the left, and the
sledge to make them go to the right; and, when he wishes them to stop, he
places it betwixt the front of the sledge and the snow. When they are
inattentive to their duty, he chastises them by throwing his stick at them;
but great dexterity is generally requisite in picking it up again. So much,
however, depends upon the excellence of the leader, that a steady and
docile dog for this purpose is not unfrequently sold for as much as ten
pounds sterling.
The fleetness of the Siberian dogs is so great that they have been known to
perform a journey of 270 miles in three days and a half; and with a sledge
containing three persons and their luggage, they will travel sixty miles in
a day. During the most severe storms, when their master cannot see his
path, nor can even keep his eyes open, they seldom miss their way. And it
is said that, in the midst of a long journey, when it is found absolutely
impossible to proceed any further, the dogs, lying round their master, will
keep him warm, and prevent him from perishing by the cold.
The natives of Kamtschatka wear the _skins_ of these animals as clothing,
and consider the long hair as an ornament.
27. _The NEWFOUNDLAND DOG_, for united size, strength, and docility,
exceeds all the kinds of dog with which we are acquainted. As its name
imports, it is a native of the island of Newfoundland; and also of the
adjacent parts of America, where it is employed in drawing wood on sledges,
from the interior of the country to the sea-coast. Four of these dogs are
harnessed to each sledge, and are able with ease to draw three hundred
weight of wood for several miles. And it is peculiarly deserving of remark,
that they often perform this service without any driver. Before the
introduction of horses into general use in Canada, most of the
land-carriage was performed by dogs.
The ease with which the Newfoundland dog swims, and the strong attachment
which he forms towards mankind, have rendered him of great service in cases
of danger from the oversetting of boats, and other accidents by water.