132 THE BOOK OF THE OPEN AIR 



this day by the coast-dwellers, the the singing of Johnny Trehair, whose 



"soile." Ray is sometimes spoken of as fine tenor voice acted like a spell on 



the father of English Natural History, the miners, never failed to draw round 



yet his testimony, though two and a him the seals that frequented the 



half centuries old, seems but of yester- Three Stone Oar. The seals them- 



day in comparison with those remote selves are silent by day, but at night 



days from which we have inherited their hoarse cries no less than their 



the legends of the mermaids about splashings prove unnerving to the 



the coast. These weird romances fisher-boys on watch and serve to keep 



afford strong evidence that seals have alive the superstitions which yet linger 



frequented the strands of Padstow and along the wild north coast of the 



of Zennor from time immemorial. Duchy. 



Zennor boasts a unique record in the From the seal we pass to its fellow- 

 representation of the animal on the fisher and neighbour of the undercliff, 

 end of one of the benches in its church, the otter, a creature which though 

 but whether the carver was inspired present in considerable numbers round 

 by legend or love of natural history the coast, is nevertheless but seldom 

 must remain as much a matter of seen. Of all our wildlings, save per- 

 conjecture as is the date when the work haps the badger, it is the most chary 

 was executed. of exposing itself to observation. Yet 

 The mention of Zennor Church re- much as the otter shrinks from the 

 calls the opinion entertained by the light of the sun, he loves to bask in its 

 coast folk that the seals are attracted rays where he thinks no eye can descry 

 out of their caves by the ringing of the him, on a rock at the foot of the cliffs, or 

 bells. However that may be, it is an a boulder of the moorland stream. He 

 undoubted fact that the creatures are will on occasion exhibit a greater 

 more in evidence on Sundays than on daring and fish at noonday ; but this 

 work days ; and after all there is nothing happens only in very retired situations, 

 very improbable in the widespread Yet so greatly does he enjoy the stolen 

 belief, for it is generally conceded that hours, so natural a part of the wild 

 seals are influenced by musical sounds, setting does he form, as to compel the 

 The fishermen invariably whistle to belief that persecution alone and not 

 them when they wish them to follow his own instincts has driven him among 

 the boats, and it is now a tradition that the ranks of nocturnal creatures. 



