272 ARGUMENT OF THE UNITED STATES. 



their young." That there is any such general belief is most strenuously 

 denied on the part of the United States, is disproven by the few wit- 

 nesses cited by the British Commissioners themselves, and is negatived 

 overwhelmingly by the testimony on the part of the United States. 



The painful attempt to justify pelagic sealing by distortion ol com- 

 monly accepted facts is nowhere more apparent than in section 308 : 



It appears to us to be quite probable, however, that toward the close 

 of the season of suckling, the female seals may actually begin to spend 

 a considerable portion of their time at sea in search of food. It is un- 

 likely that this occurs to any notable extent until after the middle of 

 September, before which the season of pel agio sealing in Bering Sea prac- 

 tically closes. 



Comment would be absurd on this. 



"Bryant", say the British Commissioners, "after describing the re- 

 laxation in watchfulness of the male after impregnation has been 

 accomplished, says of the female: 'From that time she lies either sleep- 

 ing near her young or spends her time floating or playing in the water 

 near the shore, returning occasionally to suckle her pup.' " 



That she should go to the water to play and float and neglect the 

 opportunities of replenishing her energies, wasted as they are by nurs- 

 ing, seems utterly incredible. It is well to note the admission, how- 

 ever, that during this period the suckling is on land whither she returns 

 to accomplish it. 



Elliott is quoted in the same section as stating that " the mother 

 nurses her pup every two or three days," but adds, " in this I am very 

 likely mistaken." Again, Elliott says of the mother, coming up from 

 the sea, that " she has been there to wash and perhaps to feed for the 

 last day or two." In another reference given by the British Commis- 

 sioners from the same authority, he is made to say: 



Soon after the birth of their young, they leave it on the ground and 

 go to the sea for food, returning perhaps to-morrow, perhaps later, even 

 not for several days, in fact, to again suckle and nourish it, having in 

 the meantime sped far off to distant feeding banks. (Sec. 309.) 



It will be observed that this agrees entirely with the testimony pro- 

 duced by the United States. The report then goes on to cite authorities 

 showing how far the cows go out tor food. Taylor is quoted as saying 

 that they go out every day a distance of 10 or 15 miles, or even farther. 



T. F. Ryan says that the main feeding grounds of the seal during 

 the summer stay upon the islands, and to which the cows are continu- 

 ally going and coming, are to be found 40 to 70 miles south of St. 

 George Island. 



