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The Descent of Man

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females. In another allied kind <strong>of</strong> seal, the bladder-nose<br />

(Cystophora cristata), the head is covered<br />

by a great hood or bladder. This is supported<br />

by the septum <strong>of</strong> the nose, which is produced<br />

far backwards and rises into an internal<br />

crest seven inches in height. <strong>The</strong> hood is clothed<br />

with short hair, and is muscular; can be<br />

inflated until it more than equals the whole<br />

head in size! <strong>The</strong> males when rutting, fight furiously<br />

on the ice, and their roaring "is said to<br />

be sometimes so loud as to be heard four miles<br />

<strong>of</strong>f." When attacked they likewise roar or bellow;<br />

and whenever irritated the bladder is inflated<br />

and quivers. Some naturalists believe<br />

that the voice is thus strengthened, but various<br />

other uses have been assigned to this extraordinary<br />

structure. Mr. R. Brown thinks that it<br />

serves as a protection against accidents <strong>of</strong> all<br />

kinds; but this is not probable, for, as I am assured<br />

by Mr. Lamont who killed 600 <strong>of</strong> these<br />

animals, the hood is rudimentary in the females,<br />

and it is not developed in the males during

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