134 COMMON SEAL 



floats them off the rock. When on shore they fre- 

 quently utter a grunting noise, not unlike pigs in a 

 stye, but they never do so unless they feel perfectly 

 secure." 



There seems no doubt that the young of this 

 species, especially, are easily domesticated, and 

 display a great deal of sagacity. Thus Mr L. Ed- 

 monston mentions, " That one in particular became 

 so tame that he lay along the fire among the dogs, 

 bathed in the sea, and returned to the house ; but 

 having found his way to the byres, used to steal 

 there unobserved and suck the cows ; on this ac- 

 count he was discharged, and sent to his native ele- 

 ment."* The following particulars concerning a young 

 Seal of this species we owe to the polite and kind 

 attention of Professor Trail. " A young Seal was 

 brought to the house in which I resided when a 

 boy, and lived for some time chiefly in the kitchen. 

 It was about 2^ feet long. It sucked one's fingers 

 readily, and was fond of cow's milk, which it greedily 

 drank. When thrown into the sea it speedily re- 

 turned to the shore, and it seemed to be rather a 

 social animal. Its favourite position was the kitchen 

 hearth, the stone of which was elevated about four 

 inches above the floor, and it generally laid itself so 

 close to the embers of a peat fire, burning on the 

 hearth, that its fur was often singed. If carried to 

 any part of the kitchen, it speedily found its way 

 back to the hearth-stone, moving by means of its 



View of Zetland, ii. 293. 



