264 PHOCiD^. 



the Grey Seal has been recognized on many parts of our 

 coasts. It is undoubtedly the Haaf-fish of the Orcadians 

 and Shetlands, and appears certainly to be the Tapvaist 

 of the Hebrideans, of which the following account is 

 given by Mr. Wilson in the first volume of the " Maga- 

 zine of Zoology and Botany": — "The Tapvaist or 

 Great Seal is observed occasionally ashore with indivi- 

 duals of other kinds, but notwithstanding this it may be 

 characterized as being of solitary habits, and as selecting 

 the most remote and unfrequented situations. It is 

 neither so lively nor so watchful as the Common Seal, 

 nor is it so easily alarmed. It resembles that species in 

 its general colouring, but may at once be distinguished 

 from it by its enormous size." Mr. Wilson adds that 

 the young is born above high-water mark in the end of 

 September or beginning of October, and is at first 

 covered with white hair, which is retained for many 

 weeks, but shed before it takes to the water ; the 

 average weight of the adult he estimates at about thirty 

 stone. One of the principal stations of this species in 

 the Hebrides is a rock named Haskeir, near North Uist ; 

 here, according to Capt. H. J. Elwes ("Ibis," 18G9, 

 p. 25), large numbers were formerly destroyed, but of 

 late years the proprietor has wisely put a stop to the 

 slaughter, as the Seals were in danger of total exter- 

 mination. Dr. Brown considers this as a very common 

 species in the Hebrides, so much so that his friend 

 Captain McDonald killed no less than seventy in a cruise 

 of a few weeks. On the mainland of Scotland the Gre}-^ 

 Seal is comparatively rare ; Prof. Turner has recorded 

 that two young ones were taken near Montrose in 1869, 

 and an adult female near St. Andrews in 1870 ("Jour- 

 nal of Anat. and Pliys.," 1870); he learns also from 

 Dr. Stirling that it is well known in the Tay by the 



