In fact, the flipper beats the fin, for the Seal earns his dinner by chasing and catching fish.  He slips through the water with perfect ease, and seizes the darting fish in their own home.  The Seal is nearly always hungry, but so wonderfully quick that his hunting is made easy for him.

It is quite another matter on land, where his best pace is a waddle and a shuffle; but his life is in the wide sea, where he can feed and sleep as easily as other mammals can on land.

Seals are easily tamed, and soon become fond of their owners.  Some fishermen once caught a baby Seal, which they gave to a boy, knowing his love of animals.  The strange baby soon made itself at home, and loved to lie in the warmth of the kitchen fire.  It knew the voice of its young master, and would follow him like a dog.

The older it grew, the more milk and fish it needed each day.  At last, this food was not to be easily obtained, and so the boy had to get rid of his pet.  He rowed out to sea, taking the Seal, and let it free in the ocean to fend for itself; but the Seal would not leave him; it swam swiftly round the boat, calling pitifully.  Needless to say, it was taken back again, and well cared for.

[Illustration:  THE SEA-ELEPHANT]

Seals have even been trained to catch fish for their owners.  Being docile by nature, and having larger brains than most animals, they can be taught.  Perhaps you have seen Sea-lions performing surprising tricks, showing clearly how intelligent these fish-like creatures really are.  The Sea-lions at the London “Zoo” are not specially trained.  But they are clever enough to teach themselves, especially when rewarded by a few extra fish.  They know well the voice of their keeper, and clap with their flippers to let him know that feeding—­time is near; and in many other amusing ways they prove their intelligence.

[Illustration:  SEA-LION]

You have noticed, perhaps, that these Sea-lions can shuffle along on their hind flippers, which are turned forward under the body.  The real Seals, however, cannot do this.  Their hind limbs, so wonderful in the water, are merely dragged behind the body on land.  “Sealskin” should be called “Sea-lion-skin,” to be exact; for it is the Sea-lions, not the true Seals, which men kill and rob of their lovely warm coats.

The giant of the Seal family is the Sea-elephant; a big lumbering fellow, with a most peculiar nose.  Of course this gives him his name, though it is not much like the trunk of the real elephant.  It is just the baggy skin of his nose, a foot long, which hangs down past his mouth.

When the Sea-elephant is angry or excited, this loose nose of his becomes filled with air, and bulges out.  Our coloured picture shows you Mr. Sea-elephant, full grown; his wife and children have ordinary seal noses.  Perhaps we should say wives, not wife, for he has many.

[Illustration:  A COMMON SEAL]