28 



MAMMALS. 



than referring my readers to the volume which admirably covers all 

 the ground (British Animals Extinct within Histoiic Tinies\ and repeated 

 by Millais in his great work on British Mammals (vol. i., 1905). 



Sub-order PINNIPEDIA. 

 Family PHOCIDJE. 

 Seals in General. 



In the old Statistical Account references are quite general to " Seals " ; but as far 

 as can be judged the remarks may be held to relate to the Common Seal (Phoca 

 vitulina), unless otherwise specified or apparent. Seals are briefly spoken of as 

 "off the mouth of the river Tay, Dundee" (vol. viii. p. 204). 



The Neiv Statistical Account of Kincardineshire says (p. 217) : "In the recollec- 

 tion of persons not yet very old {i.e. in 1842), Seals were numerous on the coast of 

 Dunotter. They were then to be seen in herds, basking on the rocks, or sporting in 

 the bays ; and the hunting of them was ijractised both for amusement and profit. 

 Now {i.e. in 1842) they have nearly abandoned the caves to which they resorted as 

 their breeding places, and only a solitary one is to be seen skulking for prey at the 

 foot of the rocks." And again, " Off St. Cyrus Seals and Porpoises frequent the rocks 

 and river-mouth." 



Seals are said to ascend the river Tay " at times as'far as Stormontfield," and this 

 is in all probability referrable to the Common Seal. In 1807 the Blaclc Boole of 

 Kincardineshire has the statement that "Seals are now becoming scarce, owing 

 apparently to the bag-nets which destroy them " ; but, as will be seen later, this is an 

 oj)inion which is not shared in by our latest practical authority — Mr. J. C Millais — at 

 least not to any appreciable extent, he considers, is this any check to their numbers 

 even at the present day. Though a few may become entangled and be secured, Millais 

 considers the animal much too strong as a rule to be so enmeshed ; and indeed if this 

 was a common fate, there would be little necessity for those interested in the salmon 

 fishings to employ a man to thin their ranks by shooting — as has been the practice 

 there for some time. Millais considers the Common Seal as only a migratory animal 

 — at least with the great majority of individuals — at the mouths of our bigger rivers 

 like the Tay. 



The numbers of the Common Seal frequenting the entrance waters of the Tay and 

 other larger rivers of our east coast vary according to circumstances in different 

 seasons, and there can be little doubt when the run of migratory salmonidse is at 

 the strongest is the time most of the Seals put in their appearance, as fully told by 

 Mr. Millais, and as usually seen under general observance. 



At one time no doubt there was evidence that Seals were more abundant at all 

 seasons along the east coast of Fife between St. Andrews and Crail ; and were also 

 oftener seen in numbers on the tidal reaches of lower Tay, going further up these 

 reaches formerly than now, or doing so with greater regularity. Feilden remembers 



