1869] Death of the Great Grey Seal. 223 



About half-way in his course to Aran lay the desolate 

 islet known as Eagle Rock, which, being even more 

 remote and difficult of access than Carrig-na-mackan, he 

 had hitherto let alone. It was however reputed to be a 

 seal-rock, and to-day it was to be tried. 



" At 10.15 we started. Wind light, S.S.W. ; were off 

 Dinish at 12.15, against a lee spring- tide. After a few 

 tacks we reached Eagle Rock. Asking for information, 

 we were told that there was a large seal then often seen 

 there, and that he was seen there yesterday. 



" Luffing up close to the Western Rock we (Old Ash) 

 saw his head. He kept always close to the breakers, and 

 only once left them to range up 200 or 300 yards along 

 the island. He soon turned back to the breakers, and 

 then he kept on showing his head close to the breaking 

 wave. 



" Soon I got a shot at eighty yards, and shot over a wee 

 bit, because the gun hung fire as the hand was rising. 

 Soon he showed again, after we had luffed and drawn up 

 as close as we could to the breakers. His head rose once 

 more amid the white spray. The second shot was fired. 

 I heard the ball crash into his skull ; and he jumped up 

 and rolled for one moment, and then sank. The blood 

 rose immediately, reddening the white foam of the breakers, 

 and we felt sure of him. 



" Coyne and I in the canoe went over him with the spear, 

 but could not see him at all. Another boat was nearly 

 dashed to pieces on the breaker rock ; and it took an hour 

 before he was fished up. The blood had then ceased to 

 run. 



" He weighs 3^ cwt. Measures 8 feet. Rone-More 

 Thorang ! the biggest Bull on the coast. Has frequented 

 the rock for six or seven or ten years. 



" His eye is clear lilac-brown, with very small oval blue- 

 black pupil and a white ring round the lilac iodine-brown 

 of the iris : from white to white i J inches across. His 

 longest whisker four inches. 



" While the seal was being raised I caught some little 

 medusoid, like a purple tadpole at end of a jelly-sac." 



(And here follows in the note-book an outline drawing 



