CHAPTER XIII. 



THE STARVATION OF PUPS. 



THE COUNT OF STARVED PUPS. 



The fact of the death of pups by starvation has long been noted, and for several 

 seasons prior to 1896 partial enumerations of deaths supposed to be from this cause 

 have been made. In the light of the early mortality due to the ravages of TTncinaria, 

 which was found to have occurred prior to August 1. and consequently prior to the 

 beginning of pelagic sealing, these figures were unsatisfactory, as they plainly 

 confused the two causes of death. The earlier mortality has already been referred 

 to and is discussed in detail by Mr. Lucas in his treatment of the general subject of 

 mortality among the seals. 1 



At the time of the count of early dead pups between August 8 and 14 a few were 

 found to have plainly starved. It is probable that some of these in the later days of 

 the count were the first victims of pelagic sealing. A mother taken at sea on the 1st 

 day of August might have been absent for some time, and her pup would naturally 

 succumb within a shorter period than would be required for one more recently fed. 

 The majority of the early deaths from starvation, however, were undoubtedly caused 

 by separation of mother and pup by the wandering away of the latter when very 

 young or by the death of the mother from accidental causes on the rookeries. A 

 considerable number of dead cows were found on the rookeries, whose pups would 

 naturally starve unless otherwise killed. 



THE BEGINNINGS OF STARVATION. 



The first direct evidence of the destructive work of pelagic sealing was seen in 

 1896, at the time of the count of live pups on Kitovi rookery, August 15. In counting 

 the live pups they were separated into pods and allowed to run off in narrow lines to 

 make counting possible. The weaklings naturally fell behind, and a group of from 

 three to six starving pups followed in the wake of each pod. The victims of starva- 

 tion could from this time on be seen in increasing numbers as the rookeries were daily 

 inspected. The following notes on the starvation of pups are extracted from the 

 daily journal of the commission. 



NOTES ON STARVING PUPS. 



In the first stages of starvation the doomed pup was to be recognized by a growing thinness. 

 The ordinary pup is plump and fat, and its sides stick out with milk while its mother is on land. A 

 thin pup might, of course, mean only a hungry one, which would recover itself in a few days after 

 its mother's return. If the mother did not return the pup continued to grow thinner. A premature 

 grayness began to" show about the eyes and month. The eyes assumed a wide and staring look, 

 giving the animal a hunted iippearance. 



1 Paper on "Causes of Mortality," by Mr. Lucas. Part III. 



165 



