SA^D DUNES AND SALT MARSHES 



is no sound of surf or of wind, one may some- 

 times hear the voice of the seal on Ipswich 

 bar. It is a prolonged sound,— not a short 

 bark,— a raucous, grating roar. 



While seals generally sleep on the sand- 

 bars and rocks, they also appear at times to 

 sleep in a delightfully lazy manner while float- 

 ing in the water. With nose sticking straight 

 up, their white moustachios pointing diag- 

 onally downwards, and eyes tightly closed, 

 they float about, swaying up and down like 

 a buoy with the waves, which occasionally 

 submerge them, or cover all but the tips of 

 their noses. Only for half a minute do they 

 remain thus, for they soon bring their heads 

 to the usual horizontal position and open 

 their eyes, only to sink again into their 

 zenith-pointing doze. Occasionally they 

 gape and display great pink caverns, but 

 relapse at once into sleep on their water- 

 bed. 



Although seals usually occur only on the 

 sea side of the dunes, not infrequently one or 

 more may be seen in the waters of the tidal 

 estuaries and rivers, up which they ascend 

 a considerable distance and at a rapid rate 

 with the rising tide. I have seen as many 



186 



