WILD SPORTS OF THE HIGHLANDS 



cold and stormy weather than when it is warm and fine. 

 Knowing this, and having seen a seal show himself in a 

 particular channel or basin of the sea, you may be nearly 

 sure of seeing him there the next day, about the same 

 height of tide. 



The young appear about July. When first born they are 

 nearly white, and the hair is rough and long: they gradu- 

 ally become spotted and of adarker colour,like theold ones. 

 The very young ones that I have seen here were probably 

 born about the rocks and caves of the Ross-shire coast. 

 Some rocks ofif the coast near Gordonston were till very 

 lately the constant resort of seals, but owing to workmen 

 havingbeen employed thereof late years inbuildinga light- 

 house and other works, they very seldom rest on them at 

 present. They were also much frightened by a plan for 

 catching them adopted by some of the workmen. Observ- 

 ing that the seals when disturbed tumbled off the rocks in 

 great confusion, two fellows, during low-water, fixed firm- 

 ly into the rock several strongly barbed iron hooks, with 

 the points turned upwards. This done, the first time that 

 they saw any great assemblageof seals basking on the rock, 

 near their hooks, they got into a boat and rowed quickly 

 up to the place, firing guns and making all the noise that 

 they could. The poor seals, in their hurry to escape, came 

 tumbling over the side of the rocks where the hooks were 

 placed. Several were much torn and wounded, and one was 

 held till the men got up and dispatched him. This cruel pro- 

 ceeding had the effect of keeping them from the place for 

 a considerable time afterwards. Notwithstanding the great 

 timidity of the seals, they have immense strength in their 



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