Show harbor seal Is the Smallest Member of true or earless variety likes music A habitat group showing harbor seals in a setting representing a coastal scene of d the state of washington is shown at field museum ot of natural history chicago the group is an addition to the hall of marine mammals which already contained tour four other groups ele seals walrus northern sea lions and manatees mana tees or sea cows cos the harbor seal is the smallest member of the family famili of true or earless seals that is those species specie in which the hind flippers form functionally tio nally part of 0 the tall and are useless tor for movement on land according to C colin olin C sanborn curator of mammals this species is never more than six feet acet in length and the largest ones weigh between eighty and pounds the eurof tw of harbor seals varies greatly in color some individuals being yellowish gra gray to dark gray and others having dark spots on light gray or yellowish spots on dark gray the spotted eted ones are sometimes called leopard seals reports ot of observers indicate that these seals respond in a curious way to strange noises and musical sounds it is said that where they are not hunted they can be attracted toward shore by the playing of a flute bute or other musical instrument and that at one locality the ringing of church bells always resulted in the gathering of 0 herds near the shore they make docile and interesting pets in the wild state they live comparatively peaceful lives their only enemy besides man being the polar bear the harbor seal has the widest range of species of seal being found in the pacific ocean from the north coast of japan to siberia liberia and south along the american coast to lower california also in the atlantic from about a b 0 ut new york to greenland and from spain through the british isles to the scandinavian peninsula |