26o WILD SPORTS OF THE HIGHLANDS chap. 



is but seldom that I see them resting on the shore, but occa- 

 sionally watch them in that situation, as they either lie sleeping 

 on the banks or play about, which, notwithstanding their 

 unwieldy appearance, they sometimes do. At other times they 

 engage in the most determined battles with each other, fighting 

 like bulldogs, and uttering loud mournful cries. In waiting 

 for seals, attention must be paid more to the state of the tide 

 than to the time of day, although certainly, like all wild animals, 

 they appear less on their guard at early dawn than at any 

 other hour. The seal generally takes the same course every 

 day at the same height of tide, and basks on the same rock or 

 sand-bank during low-water. They show themselves much less 

 in cold and stormy weather than when it is warm and fine. 

 Knowing this, and having seen a seal show himself in a parti- 

 cular channel or basin of the sea, you may be nearly sure of 

 seeing him there the next day, about the same height of tide. 



The young appear about July. When first born they are 

 nearly white, and the hair is rough and long : they gradually 

 become spotted and of a darker colour, like the old ones. The 

 very young ones that I have seen here were probably born 

 about the rocks and caves of the Ross-shire coast. Some rocks 

 off the coast near Gordonston were till very lately the constant 

 resort of seals, but owing to workmen having been employed 

 there of late years in building a lighthouse and other works, 

 they very seldom rest on them at present. They were also 

 much frightened by a plan for catching them adopted by some 

 of the workmen. Observing that the seals when disturbed 

 tumbled off the rocks in great confusion, two fellows, during 

 low-water, fixed firmly into the rock several strongly -barbed 

 iron hooks, with the points turned upwards. This done, the 

 first time that they saw any great assemblage of seals basking 

 on the rock, near their hooks, they got into a boat and rowed 

 quickly up to the place, firing guns and making all the noise 

 that they could. The poor seals, in their hurry to escape, came 

 tumbling over the side of the rocks where the hooks were 

 placed. Several were much torn and wounded, and one was 

 held till the men got up and despatched him. This cruel pro- 

 ceeding had the effect of keeping them from the place for a con- 

 siderable time afterwards. Notwithstanding the great timidity, 

 of the seals, they have immense strength in their jaws, and, 



