from Pagomys fcetidus (the Ringed Seal).’ Added to this we have the testimony
of Mr. Bartlett, who in describing a young Common Seal born in the gardens of
the Zoological Society on June 8, 1868, says: ‘ It was born near the edge of the
water, and in a few minutes after its birth, by rolling and turning about, was
completely divested of the outer covering of fur and hair, which formed a complete
mat, upon which the young animal lay for the hour or two after birth.’ 1
Bell, Lydekker, and Sir Harry Johnston also all state that the young is born
white. Now let us look at the other side of the question.
I thought the above remarks attributed to Captain Macdonald to be very extraordinary
for a man of his unusual experience with Seals, so I wrote to him and
received the following interesting letter, which entirely disproves the views that have
been attributed to him. ‘ It is quite a mistake to suppose that the young of the
Common Seal is born white; I have shot hundreds of them and regret that I have
shot many when in young, and when dissected have found some of the young so far
advanced that the full pelage had set in. In every instance I found these far-
advanced pups to be coated with a mottled grey and dark-coloured fur and never
with a white fu r . This grey and dark fur was too the colour of the young when
lying on the rocks with their mothers. Some of these pups were so young that
they could not get off the rocks until pushed forward by the old ones, who
seeing their babes once in the water, would seize them by one of the fore-flippers
and dive with them at least two hundred yards before reappearing on the surface.’
The following evidence too seems to me to finally settle the question and to
leave not a shadow of doubt as to the condition of pelage of the young Common
Seal at birth. Writing to me Aug. 9, 1903, Col. Gostwyck Gostwyck touches upon
this point as follows : ‘ Perhaps you would not mind my giving you confirmation
as to the Common Seal not being born white, as stated in every work of natural
history. For my part I never believed the circumstance, and have frequently seen,
as no doubt you have, the very smallest of the young Seal seated on the neck of
the cow when swimming in the sea, and these youngsters were so small that they
could not have been born but a short time. Their colour has invariably been dark,
and more inclined to very dark. Now I will give you still greater proof. Waternish
(Capt. Macdonald of Waternish) a few years ago shot a Seal at the “ Ascribs ” and
when the Seal was in the boat Rony his man said “ That’s a big Seal, Captain.”
“ Yes,” replied Waternish, “ I’m thinking there are twa Seals there.” Well, they
cut open the cow, and there was a young one so very far developed that Waternish
1 Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1868, p. 203; also Zoologist, 1881, p. 332.
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