DONALD ANP THE SEAL 



CHAPTER XXIX 



Seals — Destruction to Fish and Nets — Shooting Seals in River and Sea — Habits 

 of Seals — Anecdotes — Seal and Dog — Seal and Keeper — Catching Seals — 

 Anecdotes, 



Seals/ which a few years ago abounded along this coast, are 

 now comparatively rare, and before long will be entirely banished 

 to the undisturbed and unfrequented rocks of the more northern 

 islands. The salmop-fishers on the coast wage a constant war 

 against them, in consequence of the great damage they do to 

 their stake-nets, whjich are constantly torn and injured by these 

 powerful animals. Nor is the loss they occasion to the salmon- 

 fishers confined to the fish which they actually consume or to 



' The colour of seals varies very much. When first born they are cream-coloured. 

 It is soon drowned when entangled in a net, but when undisturbed can remain a con- 

 siderable time under the water. Does not always devour the fish which it captures under 

 the water.— C. St. J. 



The true fur seals of the far North, many thousands of which are killed annually in 

 Davis Straits and round Spitzbergen and Greenland, are Cystophora crislata, Phoca 

 tarbata and P. grcenlandica. A few specimens of these (with the exception of P. 

 iariaia) have been taken on our coasts. 



