392 NETHER LOCHABER. 



active order of intelligence. Those at present in the Eothesay 

 Aquarium, three in number, are most interesting animals, and 

 almost as tame as lapdogs. It so happened that we entered their 

 house at a time when they were exceedingly active and lively, for 

 they were well aware that a large basket, which had just been 

 carried to the side of their tank, contained fresh fish of some kind 

 or other for their dinner ; and they raced and leaped about in 

 eager expectation of the treat, for they were evidently hungry — 

 always a good sign of an aquarium inmate. The fish consisted of 

 small flounders ; and the agdity and graceful ease of the motions 

 of these seals, as they dived and dashed after a fish, which, while 

 they were begging dog-like before us at one end of the tank, we 

 suddenly tossed to the other end, was so admirable that we con- 

 tinued a long time to play at a sort of pitch-and-toss game that 

 was quite as agreeable to them as it could possibly be interesting 

 to us. We only ceased our part of the performance when we 

 thought that for the time they must have had enough, the seal 

 being probably as liable to indigestion as the result of a surfeit as 

 is any other animal. When, however, they found that they had 

 nothing more to expect from us, they showed their intelligence and 

 nous by at once commencing to climb out of their tank, at the very 

 spot, too, where it was easiest of accomplishment, on the side on 

 which they knew the fish-basket was placed. What could they 

 now be after 1 was the question we asked ourselves. One after 

 another they got out and waddled along the pavement, awkwardly 

 indeed, but as quickly as they could, past us, keeping their big and 

 beautiful eyes steadily fixed on ours, tiU they reached the basket, 

 and in a moment each had seized a fish, with which he instantly 

 tumbled heels-over-head into the tank again at the point nearest 

 him, evidently afraid that we might try and intercept him, and 

 deprive him of a honne, bouche, which all of them seemed perfectly 

 well somehow to understand they had no right to take in such 



