CHAP, .XXIX.] SHOOTING SEALS. 927 
before the tide has begun to rise, and then, having made up a 
breastwork of sand and weed, I wait for the appearance of the 
seals, who frequently, before the tide has risen much, come 
floating in, with their heads above the water. If they do not 
perceive my embankment, I am nearly certain of a shot, but if 
they do, they generally keep over on the opposite side of the 
channel, watching it so closely that on the least movement on 
my part they instantly dive. So quick are their movements in 
_the water, that I find it impossible to strike a seal with ball if he 
is watching me, for quick and certain as is a detonating gun, 
they are still quicker, and dive before the ball can reach them. 
As for a flint gun, it has not a chance with them. Within the 
memory of some of the people here, seals were very numerous 
about this part of the coast, and were constantly killed by the 
farmers for the sake of their oil, and with no weapons except 
their hoes or spades, with which they attacked them when lying 
on the sand-banks. It is but seldom that I see them resting on 
the shore, but occasionally watch them in that situation, as they 
either lay sleeping on the banks or play about, which, notwith- 
standing 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 
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