WALRUS (Swed. hralross, Dan. hralros, walrus, whale-horse, from Swed., Dan.
lira?, whale Swed. hross. Dan. pros, horse). One of the largest animals of the seal tribe I Pinnipedia 1, the two species of which con stitute the family Trieheehithe (formerly Ros maridie) and classified on anatomical grounds between the eared seals (otaries) and earle-4s or 'common' seals, though having 'little external re semblance to either. The form is thick and clumsy (see Colored Plate of SEALS ) , and a full-grown male will measure 12 feet in length and may exceed 200 pounds in weight: but females are somewhat smaller. Young ones are rather thickly clothed with a faded, brown fur, but as age advances this falls out, and old individuals are almost naked. The blunt muzzle is set with a thick mustache of bristles, which with the lips is very mobile. The ear is marked only by a fold of skin. The primary characteristic of the family is the possession of a pair of enormous tusks (the canine teeth), which project downward from the upper jaw, and are solid ivory, hard and more yellowish than those of elephants.. Those of the female are longer (reaching sometimes 30 inches than the males, but his are stronger and thicker. For the sup port of these huge teeth—which are used as pick axes in digging up mollusks. for aid in climbing upon ice or rocks, and as weapons—the anterior part of the skull is greatly enlarged and strength ened. Most of the other teeth fall out. so that an old walrus has in the upper jaw. besides the tusks, only two incisors and three pairs of molars, :did in the lower jaw no incisors. two canines, and four pairs of molars. These animals are confined to northern shores, and two species are known—the Atlantic ( WO/rans or Trichecus and the l'acific walrus (Odo/arnas obs..sns). The bitter is rather larger and more obese than its congener. and the tusks are usually longer and thinner. The Atlantic walrus, the
'rosmarus' or inorse' of old writers, is found truer the archipelago north of America eastward to about the mouth of the Yenisei, :Ind in 'Jud son Bay. Labtadur, and Greenland, but it no longer. as comes south to Nova Scotia or southern Norway. and is searee around Spitz bergen and Nova Zembla. The Pacific walrus is no seen south of the Aleutian islands, and does not p;fss eastward of Point Barrow, nor much west of Bering Strait.
Walruses pass most of their time in the ocean near shore, resting in crowded bands on the float ing lee, and do nut often go ashore except in early summer, when the females produce their one or two young. The period of gestation is said to be about nine months. Their fond con sists mainly of clams, dug with the tusks: sea weed is also eaten. The flesh is an important factor in the su•tenanee of the natives of Aretie eoa-As, but is not well liked by civilized men.
The diminution of the Pacific walrus has been a very serionz deprivation to the natives of Alaska and the neighboring part of Siberia, threatening famine there. Their greatest natural enemy is the polar beUr. The oil yielded is inferior in both quantity and quality to that of seals; but the thick hide is used largely in Russia and Scandinavia as sole leather and for harness and ship rigging, while the ivory is valuable. This commercial importance has led to a steady hunt ing of the animal everywhere, and the race is rapidly diminishing in all accessible parts of its habitat. Occasionally a young one is captured alive, and shows docility and some intelligence, but none have long survived captivity.
Consult Allen, North American Pinnipeds I Washington, 1880). which contains an exhaust ive treatment and bibliography of the subject.