382 MR. R. COLLETT ON THE GREY SEAL. [Mar. 1, 



(in which category must be reckoned all those existing from the 

 Throndhjems-fjord to Christiansund, lat. 64°-63° N.) scarcely ex- 

 ceeds five or six hundred ; and of this number it is probably only the 

 full-grown ones that frequent the islands in the breeding-season. 

 The number of Seals was at one time much greater; but the perse- 

 cutions they are subject to during the summer in the outlying 

 districts, and especially on the islands along the Romsdal coast, has 

 caused an apparent diminution in the number of the breeders. 



The greater part give birth to their young in the last week of 

 September, most usually on the 29th or ,30th, or the 1st of October — 

 some a few days earlier and some later, but never after the middle 

 of October. 



The Seals probably begin to breed at the age of four years, or at 

 the earliest three years, and give birth to only one yonng one 

 annually. The young Seal at its birth is covered with a wool-like 

 covering, which falls off after the lapse of a fortnight. 



The outermost islets and rocks are chosen for breeding-places, 

 which are mostly rather small, though as a rule large enough not 

 to be washed over by the waves. If the weather be stormy imme- 

 diately preceding the time of giving birth, the female always chooses 

 one of the larger rocks, and generally places her young one 

 above the highest water-mark, and then takes up her position on 

 the highest part of the rock. If, on the other hand, the weather 

 be unusually fine, she is often tempted to place her young one on such 

 a low-lying rock that, if the weather be stormy whilst it is still in a 

 weak condition, it is often washed away and perishes. 



B. The First Staffe of the Toung. 



Whilst the navel-string yet remains the pup wears a yellowish- 

 white coat, which, however, loses its colour in the course of the 

 following days, and assumes about the same hue as the skin of the 

 Polar Bear. After the lapse of from seven to ten days dark hairs 

 begin to appear on the tips of the snout and feet ; they are first 

 apparent on the great toes of .the fore feet. The colour afterwards 

 increases in intensity ; and after the lapse of three weeks the young 

 one has entirely lost its woolly hair. The colour of the new dress 

 differs from that of the old Seals ; but there is a great variety in its 

 colour among different individuals. Some are light with large dark 

 patches, others are almost wholly dark green, whilst others again 

 are almost black, though the belly is almost always lighter in colour 

 than the back. This variation of colour remains during a great 

 part of the growth ; and it is only when they are fully grown that 

 they become more uniform in this respect. 



The pups pass the first three weeks of their life on land, until 

 they have shed their woolly coat, often on exactly the same spot 

 where they have been born, and pass their time exclusively in 

 receiving nourishment from the mother and in sleeping. During 

 this period of their lives they are by no means so strictly confined to 

 the dry place of rest as is the case with the Harp Seal, which, so far 



