SOME MAMMALIAN NOTES 341 



only one this particular animal secured for us for examina- 

 tion ; cats are, it seems, eager to pursue and kill the shrew, but, 

 probably on account of its queer odour, refuse to eat it. It 

 is known to the young people in that neighbourhood as the 

 " ranny," a common name given to S. vulgaris in country 

 districts north of Yarmouth, where the animal is not un- 

 common, although I believe unknown around St. Olaves. 

 The pigmy shrew is not entirely nocturnal, but hunts around 

 for its prey in broad daylight. 



SOME SEAL NOTES 



The common seal (Phoca vitulind] occasionally frequents 

 the sand-banks on the Wash in some numbers, until lately 

 I believe, without the local fishermen taking much objec- 

 tion to their presence. Complaints, however, would seem to 

 have been made quite recently, it being suggested that 

 "they frighten away the fish." This may lead up to some 

 persecution, and so good a target may tempt those whose 

 business or pleasure it is to carry rifles to try to reduce 

 the numbers. 



The Lynn fishermen at one time used to net or entrap 

 individuals, selling them alive to showmen for exhibition 

 purposes. I myself, in my scheming days, had examples 

 on show, my showman-in-ordinary putting them through 

 their paces. Their barking suggested "yes" or "no" on 

 command, and a tambourine was rattled in a lively fashion 

 by a flipper when an animal was ordered to do so. Some 

 seals, especially when captured young, become very docile 

 and tame, whereas those taken when old are never tractable. 



When keeper at P Gardens, in 1884, 1 had a seal rockery 



and pond, wherein several were incarcerated. One large 

 seal was so vicious that he would rush at me like a mastiff, 

 and could only be kept at bay by my facing him with a 

 stiff bristly broom. 



On one occasion when letting in water from the lake 

 above, a huge eel came through the large connecting pipe, 

 and began to dash about on the scarcely water-covered 

 floor. Before I could get in to secure it, the large seal had 

 floundered out and seized it. The animal very speedily 



