108 



from sheer exliaustiou. They Lave not a keen vision, and the sunlight 

 is painful to them, so that they leave the land and go to sea on days that 

 are bright. This causes them to seek a summer home in a place where 

 fogs and rains prevail. Yet they must have warmth. Kature has ami)ly 

 provided for this necessity by giving them a double coating of thick, 

 strong hair, and of the thickest and finest fur that was ever bestowed 

 upon any species of ainmals. It is as impervious to water as the down 

 of an eider duck. The pups are born without this fur, and hence their 

 aversion to swimming until it has grown out; and this detains them on 

 land for four months, at least, during which period they can subsist 

 only on the milk of the cow seals. While their vision is not keen, their 

 auditory organs and sense of smell are exceedingly acute. They are 

 attracted by sounds as few other animals are. In this faculty they 

 make a close approach to the endowments of mankind. Sir John 

 Tliompsou is amused at an account, read by Mr. Justice Harlan, of the 

 seals being attracted in great numbers near to the shore at Hoy by the 

 ringing of a church bell. In his incredulous sport over this incident 

 Sir John forgot that it is the personal observation of Mr. Low, one of 

 the greatest naturalists who ever lived, the friend and companion of 

 Cuvier, and is more than confirmed by M. Peron, whom France has 

 honored in the most conspicuous way. His abilities as a naturalist, 

 acquainted intimately with seal life, are as far in advance of those ot 

 Prof. Elliott, from whom Lord Hannen quotes with much satisfaction, 

 as Nax)oleon was in advance of the Sioux chieftain, Sitting Bull, as a 

 military genius. 



1 will i)resently quote something further about fur-seals from IMr. 

 Peron. 



I know Mr. Elliott, whom the British Government has dubbed '^ pro- 

 fessor." I have respect for his character and sprightliness. He is a 

 painter in water colors of no mean pretensions, but his use of color 

 does not stoj) with his canvas. It enters into all he says, and makes 

 him too vivid an enthusiast for a safe reliance on questions of measure- 

 ments, statistics, and cold facts. Mr. Elliott was out on the Pribilof 

 Islands on the 10th of July, 1890, taking field notes, which, to be of any 

 value, should be free from all romantic conjecture. The following is 

 one of his highly colored extracts taken from his report of that day: 



In company with Mr. Goff aiul Dr. Lutz, I made my jdotting of the 

 breeding seals as they lay on the Eeef and Garbotch to-day. 



Here at the very height of the breeding season, when the masses 



