SAND DUNES AND SALT MARSHES 



mother and young, as performed several 

 times, I could clearly see through ni}^ glasses. 

 Two or three times the mother dove, but 

 remained under water only a fraction of a 

 minute each time, long enough, however, to 

 cause considerable anxiety on the part of her 

 baby, who made more strenuous e:fforts at this 

 time, and stretched its neck above water, as 

 if looking for its mother, paddling vigorously 

 meanwhile. They finally disappeared from 

 my sight to seaward in the driving spray and 

 spits of rain. 



*' Where billow meets billow, there soft be thy pillow; 



Ah, weary wee flipperling, curl at thy ease. 

 The storm shall not wake thee, nor shark overtake thee, 



Asleep in the arms of the slow-swinging seas." 



The whole performance was an exceedingly 

 interesting one from an evolutionary point 

 of view, as well as a charming display of 

 motherly affection and infantile helpless- 

 ness. 



Under ordinar^^ circumstances the harbor 

 seal displays great skill as a diver, and is able 

 to stay under water the incredible length of 

 ten or even fifteen minutes. When alarmed 



176 



