OF THE SCOTTISH COASTS. 133 



usually brought forth in caves, and very shortly 

 after being whelped are taken to sea by the mother. 

 The Seals of the Western Isles frequently attain the 

 weight of sixteen stones, or 224 pounds, and swim 

 with great rapidity ; the author of the manuscript 

 states he has seen them swim half a mile in five 

 minutes. 



" All Seals," adds Mr M'Neill, are fond of going 

 to shore frequently, generally every tide. I have ob- 

 served that they always select the flattest and most 

 shelving rocks which have been covered with water 

 at full tide, and almost invariably those that are 

 separated from the main land. They generally go 

 ashore about half ebb, and lie together so close as 

 to appear almost touching, to the number sometimes 

 of one, two, or three dozen, with their heads invari- 

 ably turned towards the water, and seldom more 

 than a yard or two from it. Like many other ani- 

 mals, however, they place one of their number a 

 little farther up the rock, who seems constantly on 

 the watch, and is every now and then raising his 

 head to snuff the wind. In this position they fre- 

 quently go to sleep with their head, I may say, 

 hanging towards the water. They generally pre- 

 fer small rocks, and, as I have already said, those 

 that are covered with water, for two reasons, viz. 

 because they are smoother, flatter, and softer, being 

 covered with weed, and also because, being small, 

 they cannot easily be approached without observa- 

 tion* They generally remain on shore, unless dis- 

 turbed, for six hours, that is, till the returning tide 



