R. LOFTHOUSE : THE RIVER TEES. 



5 



the Tees, of which as many as thirty might often be counted at one 

 time, but that in 1862 the number was reduced to three individuals.' 

 So late as twenty years ago, however, I have been informed by a 

 gentleman who was in the habit of shooting on the Tees, that it was 

 a common occurrence to see twenty or thirty on the sand-banks at 

 one time. They were doubtless then on the decrease, and had been 

 for many years, as a large amount of shipping traffic was then 

 developed in the Tees. My friend informs me they were very wary, 

 and when approached in a boat it was an amusing sight to see them 

 tumble about, throwing up the sand in all directions, in their awkward 

 and seemingly ludicrous efforts to regain the water. They were, 

 however, very curious, and would follow the boat at a safe distance. 

 When on the sands they generally kept within about twenty yards of 

 the water ; but he remembered assisting to capture a young one that 

 was asleep on the sands about 200 yards from the water near Seaton 

 Snook j it was cut off from the water, and being laid hold of, it made 

 desperate efforts to escape, being almost a match for two strong men. 

 It was, however, at last secured, and was a beautifully-spotted specimen, 

 or, as my friend expressed it, marked like a leopard. About this time 

 two seals used to visit regularly every day the stake-nets set for 

 Salmon at Seaton Snook, though repeatedly shot at. They are, 

 undoubtedly, partial to Salmon. It is recorded in Messrs. Clarke 

 and Roebuck's ^Vertebrate Fauna of Yorkshire,' pubHshed 1881, 

 that in 1802 'they interfered to such an extent with the Salmon 

 fishery that determined measures were proposed for their extirpation. 

 There is no evidence to show that the extermination was so effected.' 



Seals always appear to have been more partial to the north side 

 of the river than the south, though I am informed that occasionally a 

 few might be seen on Bran Sand. The north side is higher, lies 

 better to the sun, and having a bend in the centre of what is called 

 Seal Sand, commands the river both ways. It appears from an old 

 chart of the river, bearing date 1762, published in Mr. Fallows' 

 * History of the River,' that there were two channels at this point ; 

 and that at low water Seal Sand formed an island between them. 

 The river attains its greatest width across the eastern portion of Seal 

 Sand, where it is about 3I miles wide between high-water marks at 

 neap tides, and as the foreshore on the south side of the river is soft 

 sticky mud from a foot to 18 inches in depth, it will be seen that 

 Seals could rest here pretty securely. Eleven stones was not an 

 unusual weight for Seals caught in the Tees. 



Nearly all Seals captured and seen in the Tees during recent 

 years have been young animals, which would almost suggest that 

 they still breed in limited numbers somewhere in the neighbourhood. 



Jan. 1887. 



