15© LLOYDS NATURAL HISTORY. 



may be still met with in considerable numbers, although 

 it is less abundant than formerly, even in the Hebrides and 

 other islands. On the coasts of Sutherland and Caithness, 

 Messrs. Harvie-Brown and Buckley write that it is not un- 

 common in some localities, especially in the Firths of the 

 north coast, and occurring all along the coasts in the west. 

 Another resort on the east coast is a sand-bank at the entrance 

 of the Dornoch Firth, visible from the town of Tain, where 

 Seals used to lie in large numbers, until persecuted by long- 

 range punt-guns. Although it has long been known that this 

 Seal will often ascend rivers for long distances in pursuit of its 

 favourite Salmon, it is not so much a matter of common know- 

 ledge that it will take up its residence for longer or shorter 

 periods in inland fresh-water lakes. The authors last mentioned 

 have, however, collected evidence of the occurrence of many 

 of these Seals both in Loch Awe, in Argyllshire, and also in 

 Loch Shiel. On the Irish coasts — and more especially on the 

 west and east — the common Seal was formerly abundant in 

 suitable localities, although even in Thompson's time they were 

 becoming scarce in Belfast Bay, where a portion of the coast, 

 where they were once common, bears the name of, " Craig-a-vad," 

 or " Seal " rock. 



Habits. — Unlike the Grey Seal, the present species is essen- 

 tially gregarious, congregating in herds of as many as two or 

 three dozen individuals, which, when in repose, may be seen 

 lying on the shore as closely packed as possible, with their 

 heads all turned seawards. In spite, however, of its northern 

 range it is not an Ice-Seal, never frequenting the ice-fields or 

 ice-floes of the polar ocean, but generally resorting to sheltered 

 fjords and caves, where food is abundant, and the depth of 

 water not too great to render its capture a matter of difficulty. 

 Macgillivray writes that it "frequents estuaries, sea-lochs, bays, 

 and the channels between islands, where it may be seen 



