The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1904-10-07

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both males and females, the former in
defense OF the latter, and the latter in
defense of their young. And as they
are very soclable creatures, liking to
herd in hundreds, an attacking boat
may suddenly find itself surrounded
by herd Of Infatuated walrus, each
armed with formidable weapons before
noted. Contrary to the expectation
aroused by its appearance, the walrus
has a large and fully developed brain,
although not especially notable for n-
telligence. But then the study of the
brain is so far from being well adj
vanced that we do not yet know why
the elephant with its comparatively in
significant brain should be so much
more intelligent than the OK one-elghth
Of the elephants bulk, and with a
brain almost as large. Or why the
sperm whale should be so intelligent
with brain about the same size as the
OK and body one hundred times
larger. Perhaps in the latter instance
there is a distribution Of brain at points
along the spinal column so that mes
sages from the outlying parts Of the
body should not have so far to travel.
do not here try to be funny, but only
state what has been seriously suggest.
ed by naturalists.
THEIR STRONG PARENTAL IN.
STINCT.
In one respect, at any rate, the wal.
rus is the equal of any Of the higher
intelligences. That is in the parental
quality. No animal cares for its off
spring so long or more lovingly. No
animal will willingly undergo more
suffering and privation for the sake of
its young. There can be no doubt that
the female walrus suckleS its young and
provides other food for it as well dur
ing the latter part of the period, for
two years. This has been, l think,
abundantly proved by observation, and,
moreover, the great canine teeth which
develop into the formidable tusks char
acteristic of this animal, do not show
more than an inch or two until ii is
! two years old. But the mother never
seems to weary of her huge burden,
the baby, If it be male, often reach
! ing It's mothers proportions before it
! Is Weaned. With infinite. devoted pa
| thence she cares for it, watches over it,
| defends it with her own body, and.
one is tempted to say, loves her burden
so much that she is grieved when she
must lay it down. However that may
be, it is certain that the walrus for all
| their uncouth appearance and eXtraor-
binary method of living ESQ totally diff
! ferent from all other sea mammals
whatever) enjoy their lives to the full
| in the best sense of the term. In one
respect, indeed, they are extremely
! Fortunate; with the exception Of man
they have no enemies.
The great Polar bear does not lightly
engage in combat with "Awuk," since
he knows that in those Formidable
tusks he has opposing weapons that
are quite a match for even his tremen-
dous claws and teeth, while the hide OF
the walrus is so thick and tough as to
be almost impenetrable to even the on
slaught OF the great white terror oil the
Arctic seas Consequently, the walruS
lives a fairly peaceful life among his
fellows. He does not prey upon them
and nature has so equipped him tha'
they cannot prey upon him. But mar
has wrought terrible havoc among the
waIrus. Even as far back as 1927 1t is
recorded in a receipt presented at Der
cen that the Greenlanders paid thell
tribute to the Crusadps in walrus tusks
And all along the Labrador coast az
well as the Gulf Of St. Lawrence
where q walrus now would be almos
as treat a curiosity as seal on TIT
English coast, they were century agc
50 numerous that hundreds were
slaughtered in q Cay. Various causes
have. however, reduced the huntin:
OF the walrus to an insignificant matte
confined chiefly to the Eskimos, WIZ
ere fairly entitled to the produce o
their hunting, since they are sportsmcl
in the best sense of the term. The.
, co not kill for the sake of killing, Blu
for their very life, and the warus j
: one Of their chosen objects Of the chas
for his sCcculence Qron an Eskim
standpoi1), from his lack of speed, an'
frcrl lis love Of shallow waters, Wher
he fnGs the humble mollusks upol
which he feeds. Such gaps as til
Esl:imo3 make il the ranks of the wei
rus will do no more than preserve TIL
natural balance necessary. If onl
civilized nan will let the walrus alone
having found that the hunting doe
not pay, there will soon be as many a
ever there were to people, If not OK
Z nntIu To hnnntifu thn lonely Arctic re