146 SEALS AND SEAL SHOOTING 



pounds. Judging by the ordinary proportions in 

 well conditioned seals, this would give 600 pounds 

 as about the total weight of the animal. The 

 skin, which I saw a week later, was almost black 

 on the back; foetus yellowish white. 



(Cgstopljora (Srrstata) 



This is the largest of our seals speaking from 

 personal observation and the lion of the lot. 

 Although specimens are to be found in the St. 

 Lawrence at all seasons, spring is the time of 

 greatest abundance. During the years that I 

 was seal shooting at Pointe des Monts, small herds 

 used to appear there about the 20th of March, 

 gradually increasing in numbers till the same 

 date in April, when they would begin to disperse, 

 some moving westward as far up as Tadousac. 

 In May a good many would be killed around 

 Escoumains; later they scattered all over the St. 

 Lawrence. Favorite localities were around Bic, 

 Manicouagan, and the strong ripples of Pointe 

 des Monts. I shot five females in one day off the 

 Manicouagan shoals, April 6th, 1882. Three of 

 them were of the variety called "dark," but 

 which is only due to age, the young ones being 

 always lighter in color. Yearlings have no spots 

 on them, but have only a dark band on the back 

 with yellowish sides and belly. The young are 

 not born white, as in other species, but have a 

 greyish colored baad on the back and sides with 



