The Land of the Hills and the Glens 



terrace several young seals were lying, showing up very 

 white in the clear sunlight. 



The grey seal, when first born, is covered with a thick 

 coat of cream-coloured hair, about one and a half inches 

 long, but when the youngster has reached the age of a 

 month or so this hair is cast and replaced by a shorter 

 covering more or less similar to that seen on the adult 

 seals. Approaching the youngsters cautiously, in the hope 

 of having a view at close quarters of their parents, we sur- 

 prised several of the latter, who hurried across the rocks 

 at amazing speed, precipitating themselves into the sea 

 before it was possible to cut off their retreat. One big 

 seal had only just time to hurl herself into a pool, whence 

 the only egress to the open was a narrow space between 

 two rocks beneath the water's surface, and I stood above 

 these rocks, attempting to keep her in the pool. The 

 alarmed animal sank to the bottom, where she remained 

 for some time motionless; then, without a moment's warn- 

 ing, she half rose to the surface, and forcing herself 

 through the narrow and tortuous exit, swam like some 

 great fish out to sea, throwing a deep ripple before her 

 as she went. 



Another seal was disturbed as she was suckling her 

 well-grown offspring; she was some distance away from 

 the sea, and her only refuge was a deep and stagnant 

 pool, so full of green slime that the bottom was invisible. 

 Tnto this she plunged and at once submerged. Minute 

 after minute went by, and still she remained deep in the 

 evil-smelling water, and it was not until quite seven minutes 

 had elapsed that her head appeared and she gazed upon the 

 intruders with large reproachful eyes, while she drew a 

 succession of deep breaths before again withdrawing her- 

 self from view. It was interesting to observe that, after 

 inhaling, the seal's nostrils could be entirely closed at will, 

 this, of course, facilitating a long period of submersion. 



Even before disturbing the colony it was noted through 

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