MARINE MAMMALS, AND FISHES 109 



dolphin is better known farther south, and is seen 

 to most advantage when sporting under the prow 

 of the sailing ship. 



The porpoise (Phoccena communis) is at once the 

 smallest of the cetacea, and by far the commonest 

 species in the North Sea. Few who visit the sea- 

 side can be unacquainted with the shoals which 

 rise one after the other to the surface, show their 

 backs for a moment, and tumble back again into 

 the depths. 



The marine carnivore is the seal (Phoca vitu- 

 Una). Though seeming to find the rocky west 

 coast, with its islets, and sea lochs, more suitable 

 to his habits, if not more productive of his prey ; 

 he is by no means uncommon off our shores. To 

 secure the imprisoned fish, he sometimes wanders 

 into the salmon-nets, where he is about as welcome 

 as a shoal of dog-fish in the herring-nets ; and 

 employs his teeth to much the same effect. 



He ascends the estuaries of our rivers, which are 

 to the comparatively unindented east coast, what 

 the sea lochs are to the riverless west. He is 

 common in the Forth, and the Tay. As many as 

 a dozen at a time may often be seen entering the 

 St. Andrews Eden with the tide, -and basking at 

 the ebb beside the herring^gulls. 



