FUR-SEAL OF COMMERCE. 277 



the end of August, when a herd of small young 

 Seals, of both sexes, come on shore for about five 

 or six weeks, and then retire to the water. The 

 large male Seals take up their places on shore, as 

 has been before described, which completes the in- 

 tercourse all classes have with the shore during the 

 whole year. The young are at first black; in a 

 few weeks they become grey ; and soon after ob- 

 tain their coat of hair and fur. 



" When these South Shetland Seals were first visited, 

 they had no apprehension of danger from meeting 

 men ; in fact, they would lie still while their neigh- 

 bours were killed and skinned ; but, latterly, they 

 had acquired habits for counteracting danger, by 

 placing themselves on rocks, from which they could, 

 in a moment, precipitate themselves into the water. 

 The agility of this creature is almost greater than, 

 from its appearance, an observer would anticipate. 

 I have seen them, indeed, often escape from men 

 running fast in pursuit to kill them. The absurd 

 Btory, that Seals in general defend themselves by 

 throwing stones at their pursuers with their tails, 

 may be explained in this way; that when an ani- 

 mal is chased on a stony beach, their mode of pro- 

 pelling themselves is by drawing their hinder flippers 

 forward, thereby shortening the body, and projecting 

 themselves by the tail, which, when relieved from the 

 effort by the fore flippers, throws up a quantity of 

 stones to the distance of some yards. Their sense 

 of smell and hearing is acute, and in instinct they 

 are little inferior to the dog, that is, I judge their 



