486 WILD ANIMALS. 



require a greater weight to give them the specific gravity requisite 

 for easily remaining under the water. It has been stated that when 

 they return to land they eject these stones, and an ofl&cer in the 

 navy assured a writer on the subject that he had seen a sea-lion 

 at the Falklands engaged in the operation of "discharging 

 ballast." Another observer of their habits conjectures that these 

 stones may be swallowed in order to get rid of the parasitic 

 worms which are contained in the stomach of all seals. However, 

 be the cause what it may, the strange fact that they do swallow 

 the stones rests on abundant and trustworthy evidence. 



Low, in his "Fauna Orcadensis," states that "seals seem to 

 have a great deal of curiosity : if people are passing in boats they 

 often come quite close up to the boats and stare at them, following 

 for a long time together : if people are speaking loud, they seem to 

 wonder what may be the matter. The church of Hoy, in Orkney, 

 is situated near a small sandy bay much frequented by these 

 creatures ; and I observed when the bell rang for divine service 

 all the seals within hearing swam directly for the shore, 

 and kept looking about them as if surprised rather than frightened, 

 and in this manner continued to wonder so long as the bell 

 rang." 



Allen also observes, " Most species of seals are strongly attracted 

 by musical sounds, but whether their interest is merely that of 

 curiosity or real fondness for such sounds may be fairly judged to 

 be an open question. That they possess a great deal of curiosity 

 admits of no doubt." 



" Strange as it may seem, it is a well-established fact that the 

 young seals take to the water reluctantly, and have to be actually 

 taught to swim by their parents. The young of some species 

 remain entirely on the ice for the first two or three weeks of their 

 fives, or until they have shed their first or soft woolly coat of hair. 

 Those that are brought forth on land, as in the case of elephant 

 seals, are like the otaries, timid of the water, swim at first 

 awkwardly, and tire easily in their first efforts. 



" Seals utter a variety of cries, from which they have derived 

 such various names as sea-dogs, sea-calves, sea- wolves, &c. Some 

 have a barking note, others a kind of tender bleat, or a cry more 



