A NATIVE NATURALIST 255 



refers to this character of the seal, which he classes 

 with his "Quadruped Reptiles," in the following 

 quaint passage : " Whether it is delighted with music 

 or any land voice, or whether it is to alleviate the 

 toil of swimming, it shows itself almost wholly above 

 the water frequently, or near the shore, ibid. Add to 

 this that the great docility of the creature (little short 

 of that of the human species) and his being so easily 

 trained to be familiar with and obedient to man, may 

 make us with some grounds conclude, that this is 

 the creature to which imagination has given the shape 

 of half-fish half-man, a shape nowhere else to be 

 found/' 



The estuary attracts a good number of wild fowl, 

 duck and shore birds, in winter, and as a consequence 

 is much frequented by sportsmen. One day the 

 ferryman took one of these gentlemen, a visitor from 

 a distance, across the river, and was not half-way 

 over before the seal appeared as usual and with its 

 head well up swam after the boat, and gaining quickly 

 on it was soon not more than an oar's length from 

 the stern. The ferryman, looking back, was watching 

 it, and by and by, thinking it would be a pleasant 

 surprise to the other, he remarked, " My baby seal is 

 just behind you, coming after us." The other looked 

 around, and instantly, before the boatman could cry 

 out or even divine his intention, threw up his 

 gun and fired and the brains of the young seal were 

 scattered on the water. "You have killed my pet 

 seal the animal I loved best," the boatman cried, 

 and the other was surprised and expressed regret. 



