37 



I mored along the water's edge, they would follow me with eagerness, 

 like the dolphins who, it ia said, attended Arion, as if anxious to pro- 

 long their enjoyment. I have frequently witnessed the same effect 

 when out on a boat excursion. The sound of a flute, or of a common 

 fife, blown by one of the boatmen, was no sooner heard, than half-a- 

 dozen would start up within a few yards, whirling round us as long as the 

 music played, and disappearing one after another when it ceased. 1 " 

 " The church of Hoy, in Orkney, is situated in a small sandy bay, 

 much frequented by these creatures ; and I observed, when the bell 

 rang for divine service, all the seals within hearing swam directly to 

 the shore, and kept looking about them, as if surprised, rather than 

 frightened, and in this manner continued to wonder as long as the bell 

 rang." " Whilst I and my pupils," says Mr. Dunbar, " were bathing, 

 as was our custom, in the bosom of a beautiful bay, named Seal Bay, 

 in Orkney, numbers of these creatures invariably made their appearance, 

 especially if the weather was calm and sunny, and the sea smooth, 

 crowding us at the distance of a few yards, and looking as if they had 

 some kind of notion that we were of the same species, or at least, genus, 

 with themselves. 



" The gambols in the water of my playful companions, and their noi*e 

 and merriment, seemed to our imagination to excite the seals, and to 

 make them course around us with greater rapidity and animation. At 

 the same time, the slightest attempt on our part to act on the offensive, 

 by throwing at them a stone or shell, was the signal for their instan- 

 taneous disappearance ; each, as it vanished, leaving the surface of the 

 waters beautifully figured with a wavy succession of concentric circles." 



PHOCA -F(ETiDA 2 , Miiller. The Ringed Seal. 

 Synonyms Phocafcetidd?, Miiller. 



1 PJwca hispida*, Erxleben O. Pabricius. 

 Phocafasciata* 1 , Shaw. 

 PJioca awnellata 6 , Nilsson. 

 Gallocephalus hispidus 3 , P. Cuvier. 

 Pagomysfoetidus z , Gray, B. M. C., S. and W. 1866, p. 23. 



Inhabits Greenland North Sea Lake Baikal. 



This species is about the size and build of the preceding one, but is 

 readily distinguished by the marbled disposition of the colouring of the 

 hair on the upper portions of the body, which appearance is caused by 

 numerous whitish ovate ocellated spots, about two inches long, distributed 

 over a brown ground colour, darkest along the back, and paling beneath 

 to nearly white. The young are of a darker hue, and their skins are 

 not relieved by the annular spots. 



1 Mr. Lizars. 



2 Fcetidus, stinking, rank. 



3 Hitpidu9 t rough., shaggy. 



4 Fasciatus, banded. 



5 Amttlfatut, with little rings. 



