■ iriGRATORY HABITS. 401 



threaten her offspring, she, like the Marhled Seal, takes 

 it in her mouth, and carries it to a place of security. Unlike 

 the cuh of the Common Seal, which, as said, is active and 

 lively, and repairs to the water almost immediately after 

 hirtli, that of the Grey Seal, in the early part of its exist- 

 ence, is stupid and heavy, and several weeks elapse hefore 

 it is capable of following its mother and providing food 

 for itself. But it is of quick growth, so that at the age 

 of six months it has nttained ujjwards of three feet in 

 length, and its body will then yield a very considerable 

 quantity of oil. 



The Grey Seal is gregarious, and, in the Baltic at 

 least, is often found in herds of many hundreds. But it 

 is not suj)posed to live on very amicable terms with 

 its congeners. We are told, indeed, that when these 

 are proceeding one Avay the Grey Seal steers its course in 

 an opposite direction ; though this may be, as surmised, 

 in consequence of tlieir breeding at different seasons. 



Its habits are somewhat migratory. At the approacli 

 of winter vast numbers leave their usual liaunts in the 

 Baltic, and make for the more northern parts of the Gulf 

 of Bothnia, as some suppose because the ice is there thicker, 

 and the chance of its breaking up therefore less ; but 

 in the spring they again return to the southward. It 

 happens at times, however, that, owing to tempests, the ice 

 breaks up before the cubs (numl)ers of these animals breed 

 in the Gulf) are sufficiently strong to undertake the 

 journey. In this case, if there be many congregated on 

 the same spot, each individual is desirous, for its greater 

 security, to mount on to the largest of tlie " floes " in 

 sight ; but there being seldom room for the whole com- 

 pany, a terrible battle usually ensues ; during which they 

 with claws and teeth cruelly maltreat each other, and in 

 the while snarl and growl like so manv doars. The noise 

 and uproar on such occasions are very great indeed, and if 



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