66 HAPPY HUNTING-GROUNDS 



water curved into a semicircle like the lower half of 

 a broken hoop ; some scratching themselves with their 

 strong fore flippers, others shifting uneasily from side 

 to side, and one big fellow apparently doing sentry 

 upon the highest point. They were of different sizes 

 and colours, some only half grown, some patriarchs 

 nearly six feet long, and their skin showed at that 

 distance every variety of shade from nearly black to 

 an almost wool-like whiteness ; but this latter appear- 

 ance, I fancy, characterised those among them that 

 had been basking longest and whose fur was driest. 

 Later on, when I frequently saw large flocks quite close, 

 I did not note any very great variety of colour. The 

 typical Colonsay seal was profusely covered with round 

 or oval spots on a lightish ground. There were about 

 fourteen on the first rock that came into focus, and as 

 I swept the glass round I found that hardly one of 

 the many reefs was untenanted, and that they afforded 

 resting-places for great numbers. Altogether there 

 must have been many hundreds taking their siesta, 

 and I returned home satisfied that there would be no 

 lack of opportunity of studying their habits. As we 

 jolted back over the short green turf of the links the 

 air was musical with the cry of sea-birds, from the 

 liquid' rippling note of the redshank to the familiar 

 "peewit" of the nesting plovers that tumbled awk- 

 wardly above our heads in their time-hallowed endea- 

 vour to distract attention from their nests. 



Come with me on a bright August afternoon to 

 Traigh na Tobar Fuar when the high tide covers the 

 whole of the sandy bay. I have had a round of golf, 

 I have eaten my sandwich, and I may as well have a 

 look at the seals as I smoke my midday pipe. As I 



