Class I. SEAL. 



' They are excellent fwimmers, and ready di- 



* vers, and are very bold when in the fea, fwim- 

 ' ming carelefsly enough about boats: their dens or 



* lodgements are in hollow rocks, or caverns, near 



* the fea; but out of the reach of the tide: in 



* the fummer they will come out of the water, to 



* bafk or (leep in the fun, on the top of large (lones, 



* or fliivers of rocks ; and that is the opportunity 



* our countrymen take of (hooting them : if they 

 ' chance to efcape, they haften towards their pro- 

 ' per element, flinging flones and dirt behind them, 



* as they fcramble along ; at the fame time expref- 



* fmg their fears by piteous moans -, but if they 



* happen to be overtaken, they will make a vigo- 

 ^ rous defence with their feet and teeth, till they 



* are killed. They are taken for the fake of their 



* ikins, and for the oil their fat yields : the former 



* fell for four fhillings, or four and fix- pence a 



* piece; which, when dreifed, are very ufcful in 



* covering trunks, making waiftcoats, fhot pouch- 

 ' es, and feveral other conveniencies.' 



The fleih of thefe animals, and even of porpefes, 

 formerly found a place at the tables of the great; as 

 appears from the bill of fare of that vaft feaft that 

 archbifhop Nevill gave in the reign of Edward the 

 fourth, in which is feen, that feveral were provided 

 on the occafion *. They couple about Aprils on 

 large rocks, or fmall iflaads, not remote from the 



* Leland^s Ccllcdanea^ 



141 



