Page:Voyage in search of La Perouse, volume 1 (Stockdale).djvu/475

] Some persons, in order to get on shore, were obliged to plunge into the water, for the boat would have been stove, if it had gone near enough to set them on there dry.

Many seals, of the species which Buffon denominates petit phoque, and Linnæus phoca pusilla, basked quietly in the sun, upon the rocks and the sandy beach; and some of them allowed themselves to be knocked on the head. It is proper to observe, that the figure which Buffon gives this amphibious animal, has undoubtedly been taken from a skin badly stuffed; for it represents the neck much smaller than the head, as is the case in most quadrupeds; but the seal being formed for swimming, has nearly the shape of a fish, the head being less than the neck.

In the same figure, the ears are represented as very open, whereas they are nearly of a conical shape, without any other aperture than a longitudinal slit. It would seem that nature intended to hinder the water from entering the ears of that animal; for he has the power of shutting them closely when under the water, and of opening them, though slightly, when he emerges.

On the same island, there was a numerous flock of swans, several of which allowed themselves to be taken by the hand; but the rest, apprized of the danger, immediately flew away. This new species,