Class I. COMMON SEAL. 171 



sea calf, and on that account, the male is 

 called the bull, and the female the cow, but the 

 Celtic appelative is Moelrhon, from the word 

 Moel, bald, or without ears, and Rhon, a spear 

 or lance. 



' They are excellent swimmers, and ready 

 divers, and are very bold when in the sea, 

 swimming carelessly enough about boats ; their 

 dens or lodgements are in hollow rocks, or 

 caverns, near the sea, but out of the reach of 

 the tide : in the summer they will come out of 

 the water, to bask or sleep in the sun, on the 

 top of large stones, or shivers of rocks, and 

 that is the opportunity our countrymen take 

 of shooting them ; if they chance to escape, 

 they hasten towards their proper element, 

 flinging stones and dirt behind them, as they 

 scramble along ; at the same time expressing 

 their fears by piteous moans, but if they 

 happen to be overtaken, they will make a vigo- 

 rous defence with their feet and teeth, till they 

 are killed. They are taken for the sake of 

 their skins, and for the oil their fat yields ; the 

 former sell for four shillings, or four and six- 

 pence a piece, which, when dressed, are very 

 useful in covering trunks, making waistcoats, 

 shot pouches, and several other conveniencies.' 



The flesh of these animals, and even of por- 



