THE SEAL. 



the man is obliged to cast away all human habits and movements, and while lying 

 prostrate on the ice to imitate the actions of a Seal. 



Taking care to remain motionless whenever he sees the Seal looking in his direction, 

 he creeps gradually towards his intended prey, in hopes of getting between the ice-hole 

 and the Seal, in which case the death of the latter is almost inevitable. If, however, 

 the relative position of man, Seal, and ice-hole be such that this manoeuvre becomes 

 impossible, the hunter contrives to crawl up to the sleeping Seal, and with a single 

 blow lays it lifeless upon the ice. 



The COMMON SEAL is spread very widely over many portions of the globe, and is of 

 very frequent occurrence upon our own coasts, where it is found in considerable num- 

 bers, much to the annoyance of the fishermen, who look upon it with intense hatred, 

 on account of the havoc which it makes among the fish. 



It is rather a handsome animal, with its beautifully mottled skin and large intelligent 

 eyes, and although not so large as other species which are also found upon the British 

 coasts, yields to none of them in point of beauty. The color of its fur is generally of 

 a grayish-yellow, sprinkled with spots of brown, or brownish-black, which are larger and 

 more conspicuous along the back than upon the sides. The under portions of the body 

 are of a much lighter hue. The feet are short, and the claws of the hinder feet are 

 larger than those of the anterior limbs. The total length of the adult Seal is seldom 

 more than five feet, the head being about eight or nine inches long. 



This creature is wonderfully active, both in water and on land, although its bodily 

 powers are but awkwardly manifested when it is removed from the watery element in 

 which it loves to roam. It is a persevering hunter of fish, chasing and securing them 

 in a manner that greatly excites the wrath of the fishermen, who see their best captives 

 taken away from them without the possibility of resistance. So cunning as well as 

 active is the Common Seal, that one of these animals will coolly hang about the fishing 

 grounds throughout the season, make itself familiar with all the turns and angles of 

 the nets, and avail itself of their help in capturing the fish on which it is desirous to 

 make a meal. 



A crafty old Seal will sometimes continue this predatory mode of existence for a 

 series of years, until his person becomes familiar to the fishermen, and will carry out 

 his depredations with such consummate skill that the fishermen can find no opportunity 

 for stopping his career with a rifle-bullet or a fish-spear. Seals have been known in 

 this manner to haunt the salmon fisheries as long as the nets were down, and when 

 the fishing season was over, and the nets had been removed, have been seen to ascend 

 the rivers for some miles, in order to devour the spawning fish. 



There is a curious tradition among the inhabitants of the Irish coast respecting the 

 Seal, which constantly haunts the same spot through a series of many years. 



They think that the animal is supernaturally protected from harm of any kind ; that 

 bullets will not strike him, however well the gun be aimed ; that steel will not enter 

 his body, however keen the blade, or however strong the arm that urges it; and that 

 the long array of nets are powerless to retain so puissant a being in their manifold 

 meshes. So after a while a Seal, if he be only bold and wary, may lead a luxurious 

 life at the fishermen's cost, for no one will venture to attack an animal that bears a 

 charmed life. 



Fortunately for the Seals in general, they are not often visited by the wrath of those 

 whom they rob, for there is a feeling prevalent among many fishermen that to kill a 

 Seal is unlucky, and that such a deed would prevent the murderer from obtaining any 

 more success at sea. This humane idea seems however to extend no further than the 

 regular fishing grounds, for the chase of the Seal has long taken its place among the 

 most valuable of commercial speculations, and is of extreme importance. 



The general mode of securing these creatures is to land quietly, and to cut off the 

 return of the terrified animals, which are quickly despatched by smart blows from a 

 bludgeon across their nose. When driven to desperation, they fight savagely, and a single 

 Seal is no mean antagonist for a man, provided that he is not a practical Seal-hunter. 

 The creature has an awkward way of lying on its side, shuffling rapidly along, and 



