30 The Ottawa Naturalist. [April 



large lake, where it proceeded to feed quite unconcernedly. After 

 watchinf>- it for some time I shot it. I had been hoping" that if I 

 ran across any phalaropes I would have the pleasure of seeing 

 them swim, but this one persistently dabbled in the mud and 

 refused to go out into the water. Its breast feathers were quite 

 soaked with water and mud when I took it up showing that it had 

 ventured into the muddy water over the depth of its legs. 



MAMMALS. 



There are no native land mammals on Sable Island. The 

 walrus was formerly abundant on its coasts, but was hunted to 

 extermination long before the memory of the present inhabitants. 

 Two species of seal are common, the larger one of which, the 

 harp seal, was frequently seen off shore, at the time of our visit, 

 among the dozens of the harbour seal, which was very common, 

 several herds of over a hundred each being seen in driving a few 

 miles along the North Atlantic shore. Some pups of the latter 

 were found, evidently recently born, upon the beach, after the herd 

 had wobbled into the sea. The inquisitiveness of the small seals 

 is very great. Unless the sea is very rough, one cannot walk any 

 distance along the beach without assembling an admiring audience 

 of from five to twenty-five of these creatures, which swim along 

 twenty, thirty or forty yards from the shore, with many heads 

 constantly above water, staring at the intruder ; and the general 

 effect of their countenances is so human that it gives one the 

 uncomfortable feeling of being stared at, and makes him inclined 

 to let out a yell that will disperse his audience. But he very soon 

 discovers that this does not accomplish the desired result, and is 

 forced to endure their staring with philosophical fortitude. When 

 one catches a pup of the harbour seal the mother swims in the 

 water close to shore, with evident anxiety ; but the inhabitants 

 told us that when the pup belonged to the other species the anxiety 

 very soon changed places and fell on the captor, who must run 

 fairly fast to escape the mother of the youngster. The young of 

 the harp seal are pure white, and are born in midwinter. When 

 a band of the harbour seals is drawn out on shore, covering a 

 surface of say 30 yards square, they are visible at a considerable 

 distance, and when the team approaches they commence to pro- 



