138 TEE ZOOLOGIST. 



knees, I began creeping towards him, dropping down flat on 

 my chest whenever he raised his head to look round. In this 

 way I reached within five or six yards, when, turning his head, 

 he saw me, and made for the water. I started up, rushed at him, 

 and just as he got to the water seized one of his flippers, but 

 was unable to hold on, for his vast strength dragged it out of 

 my hands. 



On another occasion I was out with my punt and gun very 

 early one morning down at Bartragh, trying for a shot at 

 Wigeon near the Sloke Kocks (a favourite haunt) ; there were no 

 Wigeon, but at the lower end, resting on a big boulder, was a 

 large Seal. After he had got on the rock the tide had fallen 

 considerably, leaving him stranded at least four feet from the 

 water. Not having my " cripple-stopper " with me, and not being 

 able to elevate the big gun high enough to shoot him, I let the punt 

 drift down to the rock, and, as he was looking out seawards, he 

 did not see me until I gave him a dab in the side with my paddle, 

 when, with a startled snort, he plunged into the water with a 

 great splash, never rising until well out of range. 



The last Seal obtained was captured very easily. I was 

 one evening out Babbit-shooting, and, walking in one of my 

 fields, my attention was attracted by hearing some extra- 

 ordinary sounds proceeding from the shore — a mixture of 

 grunting and groaning. Looking over the hedge, I saw the 

 sounds were emitted by a young Seal, just come out of the 

 water ; but, as the shore was covered with small sharp stones, 

 he evidently disliked his position, and grunted and groaned 

 while wriggling himself into a more comfortable resting place ; 

 he then ceased, and, laying down his head, went to sleep. 

 Having only No. 6 shot in my gun, I disliked the idea of firing 

 at and only wounding him ; so I thought of taking him alive as 

 he slept. Going back some distance to get down on the shore, 

 I crept up quietly to within seven or eight yards, when a tug- 

 steamer coming up the river, to my great disgust, woke him 

 with the noise of the paddles, at which he raised his head to 

 look out. I took up my gun and fired, hoping that the shot 

 would bother him so that he might be caught before getting into 

 the water ; this occurred, and so confused him that he turned to 

 the land instead of to the water ; when, rushing forward, and 



