LOVE FOR ITS OFFSPRING. 397 



shore, nearer even than the Common Seal ; and although 

 living on social terms with the latter, in whose company 

 it is often met with, it would seem to shun the society 

 of the Grey Seal, of which presently. The breeding 

 habits of the Common and the Marbled Seal, however, 

 differ very widely. The Common Seal, as shown, calves 

 about midsummer, whereas the Marbled Seal brings 

 forth her young in the depth of winter, and when the sea 

 is sheeted with ice. Then, again, the cub of the Common 

 Seal, when born, has on its second, or hairy dress, and takes 

 to the water almost immediately afterwards ; whilst the cub 

 of the Marbled Seal, on the contrary, is, at its birth, clad 

 in its first or woolly coat ; and it is not until after acquir- 

 ing its second, or hairy one, that .the mother allows it to 

 leave the ice, and follow her into the water, where it soon 

 learns to cater for itself. It then much resembles its dam 

 in appearance, the white rings being clearly discernible ; 

 and it keeps company with her during the greater part of 

 the ensuing summer. 



The affection displayed by this Seal to its offspring 

 is remarkable. " When the gunner approaches it," 

 says S. Odinan, "it is a pleasure to see how carefully 

 she takes it in her mouth and carries it to a safer piece of 

 ice, where she deposits it, and afterwards swims round 

 and about the spot. Other Seals, to escape their pursuers, 

 have always recourse to diving ; but the mother when 

 carrying her young never resorts to this expedient ; nor 

 does she ever lay the cub in the water." 



The Marbled Seal is a great enemy to the fisherman, as 

 well from chasing the fish from their usual haunts, as from 

 destroying and plundering his nets. It is said, indeed, 

 that in the course of a single night one of these Seals will 

 rob a net of the whole of its contents. It is somewhat 

 migratory in its habits, and the least shy of all the 

 Scandinavian Seals. 



