WINTER QUARTERS, SCOTIA BAY, 1903 45 



one of which was a male. Three paddies amongst the seals round 1 >cltu Island, feeding 

 on their excrement, and, probably, placentae; they approach <|uite close to tin- -eals and 

 evidently do scavenger work. Mr Bruce and 1 saw an almost white black-backed gull; 

 the colour of its wings on the upper surface was much lighter than is usually the case 

 with these gulls. Some nellies and a good many snowy petrels were also observed ; one 

 of the former appeared to be quite white. 



A party went off to Point Martin to capture a young seal with its mother. The 

 young, pupped yesterday, was captured, but its mother, though wounded, escaped down 

 an unnoticed seal-hole, despite the determined hold Kitchie had of her tail and hind 

 flippers. One was then killed who appeared to be pregnant, but, on being cut up. QO 

 young was found. It must have been one of these previously robbed and who had since 

 changed her position. It was noticed that on both occasions the first impulse of the 

 wounded seal was to make for ils nearest neighbour, who at once put herself in front of 

 her young. The two mothers met, reared up and snarled at one another, and then 

 separated without coming to actual blows. In both cases this happened. Snap-shots of 

 seal and young taken. The female brought in was the lar^e^i \Yeddell yet taken. Length 

 10 feet 4 inches and weight !)-() lbs.(under-estimate probably). Its food, from the content* 

 of the stomach, had been cuttle-fish, fish and holotlinrians. Many iiematodes in the -ut. 



Sept. 22nd. 1 Messrs Bruce, Wilton, Pirie and Cuthbertson left this morning 

 for Cape Dundas, and will be absent some days. A small trap accompanied ih. 

 party. Nellies and black-backed gulls were hovering about in the vicinity of tin- 

 seal carcases. 



The trap in 13 fathoms off the port bow was lifted and contained six i>opods. five 

 fish, two yellow star-fish and 210 cushion-stars, one of which had four perfect arms and 

 fifth arm weakly developed. 



Martin, Ross and I left in the morning for surveying in I>uchan Bay. From Point 

 Martin southward along the shores of Scotia Bay mother seals with and without yomi.L 

 were very plentiful about the shore line and hummocks in Buchan Bay they were 

 particularly numerous. A few made for us if we approached but in ni"-t eases the} 

 only opened their eyes and stared at us without any alarm. No si^n of them trying 

 to injure their young was noticed in any case. No young without a parent wu- seen, 

 which makes it improbable that during nursing the adult takes the water. None of tin- 

 adults, now or in any case noticed this last month, wen- scarred. No males seen. 



Nellies were plentiful, feasting on the blood and excrement at the scenes of birth. In 

 one case we saw six nellies sitting round a seal \\ln-re tin- young had jusl been born, 

 probably waiting for tin- placenta. No sign of any attempt of the nellies on baby seals 

 was seen, although I looked carefully for evidence on this point. 



Two paddies were also -ecu in Buchan Bay feeding on excrement. Birds seen were 

 many gulls, nellies, snowies and two paddie-. 



'During the absence nf I). W. Wilton with a sledgi- jarty, thii- !,-' was kept by E. N. Riulmosi- 

 Brown until October 12th. 



