1891-92.] THE PHOCAS OF TERRE NEUVE. 303 
THE  PHOCAS OF TERRE NEUVE. 
By REv. PHILIP TOCQUE, A.M. 
(Read 2nd April, 1892.) 
Naturalists describe no less than 15 species of seals. The kind most 
plentiful and which pass along the coast of Newfoundland with the field 
ice, are the Phoca greenlandica, which is the technical or scientific name 
given to the harp or half-moon seal, which frequents the coast of Terre 
Neuve or Newfoundland. About the last of the month of February these 
seals whelp, and in the northern seas deposit millions of their young on 
the glassy surface of the frozen deep. At this period they are covered 
with a coat of white fur, slightly tinged with yellow. I have seen these 
“white coats” lying six and eight on a piece of ice, resembling so many 
lambs enjoying the solar rays. They grow very rapidly, and about three 
weeks after their birth begin to cast their white coat. They are now 
captured, being killed by a stroke across the head with a bat, gaff or 
boat-hook. At this time they are in prime condition, the fat being in 
greater quantity and containing purer oil than at a later period of their 
growth. It appears to be necessary to their existence that they should 
pass a considerable time in repose on the ice; and during this state of 
helplessness we see the goodness of Providence in providing these amphi- 
bious creatures with a thick coat of fur, and a superabundant supply of 
fat as a defense from the intense cold of the ice and the northern blasts. 
Sometimes, however, numbers of them are found frozen in the ice. 
When one year old these seals are called “bedlamers.”” The female is 
without the dark spots on the back, which form the harp or half moon, 
and the male does not show this mark until two years old. The voice of 
the seal resembles that of the dog, and when a vessel is in the midst of 
myraids of these creatures, their barking and howling sounds like that of 
so many dogs, literally driving away sleep during the night. The general 
appearance of the sealis not unlike that of a dog, whence some have 
called it the sea dog, sea wolf, etc. These seals seldom bring forth more 
than one, and never more than two, at a litter. They are said to live toa 
great age. Sometimes a stray one is caught in a net, reduced to a mere 
skeleton, with teeth all gone, which is attributed to old age. Buffon, the 
great French naturalist, says: “The time that intervenes between their 
birth and their full growth being many years, they, of course must live 
very long. I amof opinion that these animals live upwards of a 
