HUNTING THE SEA OTTER. 27 



pairs, but generally in small groups, swimming about or 

 diving, but more frequently " breaching," as it is called. 

 This consists in throwing themselves completely out of 

 water every few yards while going at racing speed. It was 

 certainly most curious and interesting to see a string of 

 about a dozen at equal distances chasing each other rapidly, 

 all springing at the same moment, the bright sun shining 

 upon their glistening skins, then cleaving the water head 

 foremost, without the slightest splash, only to reappear and 

 go through the same performance farther on, frequently 

 keeping this up for a long time, just as if they were playing 

 at " follow the leader." The porpoise frequently resorts to 

 this means of what seems a more rapid progression, and 

 on a bright day a school of several hundreds progressing in 

 this curious manner offers an attractive spectacle, the eye 

 being frequently directed to them by the glinting of the sun 

 upon their sleek skins as they spring through the air. We 

 afterwards found this to be a favourite movement both of 

 the fur seal and sea-otter when hard pressed. 



