358 THE FUR SEALS OF THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS. 



The changes on the slide go on. A has 10 cows. B has cows near him, and 

 probably 4 more at some little distance are under his jurisdiction. The harems are 

 all scattered out in irregular fashion. Among his C nearest cows are 3 little white 

 breasted cows with dove-colored backs. They look like virgins. The other cows are 

 brown and larger. 



The little cow, supposed to be a virgin last night, and which was on the crest of 

 the slide, appears to be about halfway down in another harem. She is brown, but 

 very small; the smallest cow seen. It is probable that the light color in the younger 

 animals is a matter of individual variation. The case of the two virgins killed which 

 showed the two distinct types of coloration bears this out. It may be that the lighter 

 animals represent that class of pups which show the brown belly. 



C has 19 cows. X is gone from Y's place. An idle bull from the rear has taken 

 his position the old position of A. Y is still by the cliff's edge. X is lying flat in 

 the edge of C's harem, which is crowded down toward the cliff. D has 20 cows, but 

 one can not be certain. The young half bull Z, seen to tease the cows trying to return 

 from the slide to C's harem, lies sleeping in the place where we left him last night. 

 There are 12 cows in the space formerly occupied by E, a different bull in charge. 

 F and G can not be distinguished or counted with certainty. 



THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE FUR SEALS. 



A fur seal has almost as much in common with the grizzly bear as with the true 

 seal. It is roughly a grizzly bear with webbed feet flattened and oar-shaped. Except 

 for its wonderful powers of swimming, its habits and appearance are that of a land 

 animal. The elements determining its residence on the islands are the cold, moist, 

 sunless weather, the ice cold water, and the absence of native population or of any 

 creature on land powerful enough to be an enemy. Hence its choice of uninhabited 

 islands. Its migrations are influenced by the encroachments of floating and coast 

 ice, and its other movements by the need of food. 



THE SLAUGHTER OF THE SEALS. 



To kill the whole body of seals on the islands, as has been lately proposed, is, 

 of course, no worse than to destroy the herd by pelagic sealing; for laud protection 

 is a farce if the female can not feed safely at sea. Nevertheless such action is a 

 confession of iinpoteiicy a great nation should never think of making. 



The real interests of England are identical with ours, as are the real interests of 

 the civilized world, and some method must be found to put an end to the indifference 

 and jealousy which now prevents just or rational action. If the seal herd is to exist it 

 can not be preyed upon by any nation. If it were true that the removal of bachelors 

 diminished the herd it should be forbidden, like any other depredation. That it does 

 not reduce the herd, is perfectly plain, and no one conversant with the facts has 

 honestly denied it. 



The white semi-albino 5-year-old 1 has been seen sleeping in the same spot on 

 Zoltoi Bluffs for a week or more. Though several times driven off in the meantime 

 he had invariably returned. This gives some idea of the length of time the older 

 bachelors remain on shore. 



1 This animal was .seen in the same place on one or two occasions in 1897. 



