132 COMMON SEAL 



into our hands by Mr James Wilson, with free li- 

 berty to use it as we please.* From this we learn 

 that the species, known under the appellation 

 of JRawn, or Common Seal, is by much the most 

 frequent. " The Common Seal, we read, is still 

 to be seen in considerable numbers on the west- 

 ern coasts ; and they generally frequent sounds 

 and flats where fish is abundant, and where the water 

 is not exceedingly deep. They seem particularly 

 fond of flounders, which, on our coasts, appears to 

 be their principal food, probably from their being 

 a ground fish, and therefore easily caught. I have 

 seen a Seal," says Mr A.M'Neill, Mr Wilson's prin- 

 cipal informant, " frequently rise to the surface, and 

 dive again with a flounder in its mouth, being un- 

 able, from the breadth of the fish, to swallow it 

 and when engaged in this attempt so intent are 

 they on their prey, that they are frequently ap- 

 proached and shot." It is commonly believed that 

 they feed on fish of all sorts, not excepting Salmon, 

 and that they follow their prey up rivers for many 

 miles in pursuit. 



The opinion in the Western Islands agrees with 

 that stated by Dr Fleming, that this variety pro- 

 duces its young about midsummer. According to 

 this last authority, the number is two at a birth, 

 though most hold there is only one.f They are 



* This paper has since been published in the Magazine of 

 Zoology and Botany. See vol. i. p. 539. 



t Two were, in the month of July of this year, found in a 

 on the Island of Cramond. 



