. The Canadian field-naturalist. 42 The Canadian Field-Naturalist Vol. 81 «»>iS»«<v~ â x*^ «k. Figure 2. Adult male grey seal (right), female (centre) and whitecoated pups (left). rare stray at Sable Island, his description of the species is quite accurate. Our own observations began in 1949 when Dr. D. M. Scott of the Fisheries Research Board of Canada, St. Andrews, New Bruns- wick, studying the life history of the cod worm Porro caecum (synonyms: Phocan- ema, Terranova) decipiens, received a col- lection of small harbour seal stomachs and large grey seal stomachs from the island.
. The Canadian field-naturalist. 42 The Canadian Field-Naturalist Vol. 81 «»>iS»«<v~ â x*^ «k. Figure 2. Adult male grey seal (right), female (centre) and whitecoated pups (left). rare stray at Sable Island, his description of the species is quite accurate. Our own observations began in 1949 when Dr. D. M. Scott of the Fisheries Research Board of Canada, St. Andrews, New Bruns- wick, studying the life history of the cod worm Porro caecum (synonyms: Phocan- ema, Terranova) decipiens, received a col- lection of small harbour seal stomachs and large grey seal stomachs from the island. Dr. H. D. Fisher confirmed the identifica- tion of these seals from the lower jaws sent with the stomachs. Correspondence with Captain Patrick Solowan, Department of Transport superintendent on Sable Island, indicated the existence of considerable num- bers of both species of seals and confirmed that the animals seen in February 1948 were whelping grey seals. On our first aerial survey on June 15, 1961, we saw just over 400 grey seals dis- tributed as follows: 150 hauled out in one large group at the end of the western spit, 15 scattered along the north shore in the shallow water and 250 hauled out in another large group about two-thirds the way along the eastern spit. They were easily distin- guished from the harbour seals by their uniformly dark grey colour, both when hauled out on the sand and when swim- ming. This disposition was maintained throughout our stay on the island, the gre\' seals remaining in several large groups well out on the bare sand spits away from the consolidated dunes. Their exposed position made observation of them difficult and we were only able to stalk the animals unawares when they were lying on the steeper lower part of the beach. On June 16 we observed a group of 190 at the extreme western end of the island. All age groups appeared to be present since we could identify \'oung of the year, as well as immatures of both sexes and adult mal
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