18 



spine enaliles tliem to travel as i[uifkly as a man run rnn. The fure and hind flippers are provided 

 with nails, as shown in sketeh on following pa.u-e. Their colour when out of the water is a wliity- 

 l)rown, darker on 

 the back than else- 

 where. The speci- 

 mens in the Aqna- 

 riuui all come from 

 Julia Percy Island 

 where they resort 

 in great numbers 

 every vear. Mr. 

 W. H. 'Dusting, of 

 Portland, who has 

 had great oppor- 

 tunities of watch- 

 ing the habits of 

 these animals, in- 

 forms me that 

 during December 

 and January there 

 are about 3,000 or 

 4,000 of them on 

 Julia Percy Island. 

 The breeding does 

 arrive there heavy 

 in young, and re- 

 main on the island 

 till April or June. 

 For about a month 

 before they leave 

 the you n g a r e 

 taught to swim by 

 dabbling about 

 amongst the holes 

 in the rocks. They 

 are polygamous, 

 and during the rut- "-. 



ting season the bulls tame seals anu keeper 



are very savage. 



Each bull selects a favorite camping spot Ibr 

 young buck who strays within the charmed 



When the Seals are leaving the island and taking to the sea, their great delight is to sport in the 

 billows which surge round the rocks, and here tlie young get the tiiushing lessons in the natatory 

 art. 



Visitors may be astonished to learn that the Seals become 

 acclimatised to living in fresh watei-, the only discoverable dra^\■- 

 back, so far, being that a few have died from hydatids ; but 

 whetlier this is due to their being kept in ti-esh water or not 

 I i-annot say. In captivity they become very docile, and can be 

 taught any ordinary tricks such as dogs are. 



The princi[)al element of their treatment is that which applies 

 to all animals, i.e., kindness combined with firmness, and a cultiviition 

 of that which is known in children as "cupboard love." In captivity 

 their ordinary allowance of food is 10 to 12 lbs. of fresh fish daily. 

 Up to the present they have not bred in the Aquarium. 



himself and family, and woe betide any unfortunate 

 circle, as lie is promptly killed or severely treated. 



