elephants go to wild, lonely islands, and there make their
nurseries. Year after year tens of thousands of the big Seals gather,
to fight and to rear their young. The clumsy great father Sea-elephants
fight terrible battles; and at this time always seem to be in a very bad
temper, tearing each other with their tusk-like teeth. Their roaring can
be heard far out at sea; but the lady Seals take no part in these
combats.

We have no room in this lesson to look at all the other kinds of Seals,
Sea-lions, Sea-bears and Walrus. As we have already noticed, the
sealskin sold in shops is really the skin of a Sea-lion. Sometimes these
are called _Eared Seals_, for they possess little ears, while the real
Seals have only small holes in the side of the head for ears. Again,
there are some Eared Seals whose fur is of no use to us, for it lacks
the deep under-fur of the fur Seals.

Nature gave this coat to the Seal to protect him from the cold, but it
has caused his destruction! For these animals were killed by the hundred
thousand. Worse than this, they were killed in the most cruel manner.
Laws have now been made to help protect the poor fur Seal from its
merciless hunters. It lives in cold seas where its deep rich coat is a
splendid protection. No finer fur is there for keeping out cold and wet;
and the skilful furrier can make it into soft garments of great value.

The habits of these Seals are strange indeed. For nine or ten months of
the year they wander freely over the open seas. They dive for their
food, and sleep calmly amidst the restless heaving of the ocean. This is
the happy life of the Seal, though enemies--Sharks, Killer Whales or
Grampuses--sometimes snap him up as he sleeps.

Then, in the springtime, there comes a change. The Seals leave the open
sea and take to the land. They go to their special breeding-places, or
"rookeries," as they are called. The big "old man" Seals arrive first,
and haul themselves on shore. Each chooses a spot for himself among the
rocks. He then settles down to defend it; for more and more "old man"
Seals come, all eager to own the best places. The roaring and fighting
go on day and night. The gentle Seal is now a savage beast, covered with
wounds.

Then the soft-eyed female Seals come ashore. Now the thing is, for each
big male Seal to claim as many lady Seals as he can. More fighting,
roaring and tearing occur now, in which the lady Seals are banged about
like footballs. The stronges