The Zoologist — April, 1871. 2541 



however, seemed perfectly familiar with it, and its nocturnal habits, 

 but stated that it was the only "sort" (? species) found on the 

 island : this statement, however, I very much doubt. 



Phocid^. 



The Harbour Seal (Phoca vitiilina, Linn.) Very common along 

 the coast, and especially in the sheltered bays, from the time of the 

 disappearance of the drift-ice in the spring of the year until its 

 reappearance in the fall. It whelps on ledges of rocts and islands 

 in the month of June. The young, which are then called " puppies," 

 after shedding their first coat, are beautifully spotted on the back 

 and sides, and are caught in nets in large quantities for their skins 

 and fat; the former selling at a dollar each when nicely stretched 

 and dried clean, and the latter, when melted into oil, usually sells 

 for half-a-dollar, or sometimes seventy-five cents a gallon. 



The settlers affirm that the sexes copulate in September: if this 

 is correct the period of gestation would be nine months. It is only 

 in the spring of the year that either sex will " float" when killed in 

 the water; and this fact is favourable to the assertion of the 

 settlers respecting copulation, as at this season the males, or as 

 they are called in Newfoundland " dogs," would have regained 

 their lost fat, and the "bitches" would be enlarged by pregnancy. 



The harbour seal, as well as other species, is very tenacious of 

 life, and must be struck in a vital spot by either ball or heavy 

 charge of shot — not smaller than B — to kill it on the spot: hence 

 I have been often amused at published accounts of seals shot in 

 the Thames, and elsewhere, but which " sank immediately." What 

 seal, or other amphibious animal, would not do so if " tickled" with 

 the greater part of, perhaps, an ounce of No. 5 shot ? I have never 

 shot, or even seen, a seal so poor which, if killed dead on the spot, 

 would not have floated from five to ten seconds, and this, if the 

 animal was killed with shot, would give ample lime for rowing 

 alongside, supposing, of course, the boat contained two "hands." 



The Harp Seal (Pagophilus groenlandicus. Gray, ex-Linn.) This 

 is by far the most abundant species of seal on the coasts of New- 

 foundland, where, however, it is only seen during its periodical 

 migrations. It whelps on the ice in the month of March, and 

 forms the chief object of the seal "fishery," in which hundreds of 

 sailing vessels and steamers are annually engaged at the ice on the 

 coasts of Newfoundland alone. Large quantities are also captured 



SECOND series — VOL. VI. S 



