Walrus

Abstract

FERDINANDO VERBESTI (1630–1688), in his work in Chinese, “Kwan-yu-wai-ki” (Brit. Mus. copy, 15,297 a, 6, fol. 10. a), sub. “Marine Animals,” relates thus: “The Loh-sze-ma is about 40 feet long, with short legs, and staying at the bottom of sea comes to the surface very seldom. Its skin is so hard that even swords are unable to pierce it. It has on its forehead horns resembling hooks, with which it hangs itself on a rock, thus sleeping a whole day without slightest awaking.” With all deference to Prof. G. Schlegel, who takes the animal here described for the Narwhal (Toung Pao, October 1894, p. 370), I will bolden myself for truth's sake to state that the walrus is meant herein, Loh-sze-ma being only a Chinese rendering of Rosmar, the Norwegian name of the walrus. The main parts of this description agree well with the description given by Olaus Magnus (“Historia de Gentibus Septentrionalibus,” Rome, 1555, p. 757), but not exactly—e.g., the latter author indicates the size of the animal by the words, “maximos ac grandis pisces elephantis magnitudine”; while the former gives it more precisely, though much more exaggerated.¹ Can you or any of your readers oblige me by telling from what very source Verbesti derived his description?