1881.] MR. R. COLLETT ON THE GREY SEAL. 383 



as we know, never enters the water voluntarily in its woolly coating ; 

 for, besides always finding a pleasure in wallowing in the small 

 freshwater puddles on the rocks, they are often compelled, " nolentes 

 volentes," to take to the water at this early stage of their existence. 

 For instance, if a female be often disturbed by man during the days 

 of breeding, the entire family keeps close to the water's edge, 

 and the young ones in the yellowish skins, as well as the old ones, 

 are often to be seen swimming about among the islets ; and if the 

 former have once become accustomed to enter the water at an early 

 age, they do so voluntarily, and are often splashing about in the 

 neighbourhood of their native rocks, especially at high tide, whereas 

 they follow the example of the old ones in remaining on the rocks 

 at low water. 



Heavy hailstorms also drive the pups very early to sea ; and they 

 do not hke the thin sheets of ice which cover the small water-pools 

 after a frosty night. 



The females suckle their pups on land, but do not remain with 

 them long at a time. The suckling probably takes place during the 

 night, as they are often heard to utter cries at that time, which they 

 never do in the water. They are also seen regularly suckling their 

 pups early in the morning. The milk is extremely rich and thick, 

 and is quite white. 



As long as the young one retains its woolly coat and is allowed to 

 remain undisturbed on its native island, it receives no other nourish- 

 ment than the maternal milk. If it happen that bad weather or a 

 heavy sea washes the new-born young one into the water, or if it be 

 separated from the mother by other means, it nearly always dies, as 

 it is unable to procure for itself the means of sustenance at that 

 early period of life ; but when they have attained the age of eight 

 days they are able to stand the change of diet, even though they 

 become extremely thin for a time. Asa rule the young one can 

 hardly support itself before the age of three weeks, although it can 

 exist a long time without food, and it rarely dies before all the 

 blubber with which it is coated has disappeared. In this manner 

 young ones have been discovered in deep crevices, from which neither 

 by their own exertions nor with the mother's assistance have they 

 been able to free themselves ; and, to judge from various circum- 

 stances, these young ones must have passed about a week and a half 

 without food, although in order to maintain this fast they must have 

 been in good condition beforehand. 



When the young ones first come into the world they have very 

 little flesh and hardly any blubber ; but they increase very rapidly 

 (nearly two or three kilogrammes daily), although they receive no 

 other nourishment than the maternal milk. When a young one 

 attains the age of three weeks, or the size at which it becomes the 

 object of chase, it may contain from 20 to 30 kilogrammes of blubber, 

 besides 12 to 18 kilogrammes of meat. Extremely fat specimens 

 have been known to weigh 60 kilogrammes. But this rapid growth 

 ceases as soon as the moulting process is completed, whereupon the 

 parents leave it to support itself. 



