Every year the seals arrive in flocks hundreds of thousands strong, and
seek a sandy beach, or some nice sunny rocks, where they can spend the
summer. In these places they establish rookeries, or villages, as they are
sometimes called.

The fathers of the families come first, arriving in April to seek out
comfortable quarters.

In June the mothers come to the island, take possession of the homes
provided for them, and pretty soon each seal mother has a nice little seal
pup to occupy her home with her.

It is a curious thing about these little seal pups that though they are
going to spend their lives in the water, they don't like the idea of it at
all, and have to be forced into the water by their mothers, and taught to
swim just as though they were little boys and girls.

Baby seals have nearly white fur when they are born, and, strange to say,
until this coat falls off and the dark one comes, their mothers never
attempt to take them to the water.

The seals are not the gentle things they appear to be, with their soft
brown eyes and their sleek coats. On the contrary, they are very fierce
and warlike if any attempt is made to interfere with their families.

When the fathers first reach the beach, and set about making the home
ready for their families, they will not allow any of the young bachelor
seals to land near the rookeries. They force them either to remain in the
water, or to go to the highlands above the village.