394 ITS BREEDING HABITS. 



spring advances, however, the " Bliis-hal " becomes so 

 roomy as to admit of the animal's creeping up on the 

 ice; and of a warm day, when the sun is shining bright, 

 it may often be seen basking in its rays at the edge of 

 the aperture. It is the popular belief that tho "Bl;is-h;d " 

 is made by the breath of the Seal; as, also, that let the 

 thickness of the ice be what it may, it can form one at 

 pleasure. But this is surely fiction. The probability is 

 that the perforation is made by the Seal at the setting in of 

 the winter, when the ice is quite thin, and that from the 

 subsequent daily application of its teeth and claws, the 

 hole is not only kept open, but finally assumes the singular 

 shape mentioned. 



The Common Seal, according to E. Hosted (a high 

 authority in the last century as regards the Phocida-V 

 " pairs in September, when connexion mostly takes place 

 on a rock, the animals in the while embracing each other 

 with their flippers. They then congregate in considerable 

 numbers. The males fight desperately amongst them- 

 selves, and one often sees them leap a fathom or more out 

 of the water, and then dive head foremost, which also 

 happens when they expect bad weal her.' 1 



The female, M. AVilhelm von AV right tells us and 

 there is no better authority, he having long studied the 

 habits of Seals brings forth about midsummer, but has 



o 



nevermore than a single young one ((irrman and Knizlish 

 naturalists say occasionally two), which almost imme- 

 diately after birth takes to the water. The mother, with 

 her fore paws, assists it on to some low-lying rock, where 

 she gives it suck. Cneiff says this is only for about a 

 week, but Kkstnmi extends the period of lactation to the 

 middle of August.* 



* " It ia a commonly ivrrivnl opinion," tin 1 odabratod l>r. Bamuel 

 Oilman n latr-., " tli:it I-MTV timr tin' t'rni.il.' tliii- i;i\< I u<>uri>lmii'nt to IK r 

 it inciVii.M's a ].ouml in wriylit. ' 



