HOME OF THE FUR-SEAL. 83 



In my opinion, fur-seals born on the Copper, Bering, or Robbin 

 islands will naturally return to the rookery at 



which they were born. The same thing is true of William Brennanp. 358. 

 those born on the St. Paul or St. George islands. 



The reason the seals have chosen these islands for their home is be- 

 cause the Pribilof group lies in a belt of fog, occa- 

 sioned by the waters of the Arctic Ocean coming saml. Falconer, p. 164. 

 down from the north and the warmer waters of 



the Pacific flowing north and meeting at about this point in Bering Sea. 

 It is necessary that the seals should have a misty or foggy atmosphere 

 of this kind while on land, as sunshine has a very injurious effect upon 

 them. Then, too, the islands are so isolated, that the seal, which is a 

 very timid animal, remains here undisturbed, as every precaution is 

 taken not to disturb the^aninials while they are on the rookeries. The 

 mean temperature of the islands is during the winter about 26° F. and 

 in summer about 43°. I know of no other locality which possesses these 

 peculiarities of moisture and temperature. * * * 



While I was acting as purser on the steamer Constantine I observed 

 during the months of January, February, and March numerous seals 

 in the inland waters or along the coast between Port Townsend and 

 Sitka. Never a day passed but on looking over the rail seal could be 

 seen sleeping on or disporting in the waters. One day in the bay of 

 Sitka I saw several hundred seals asleep in the water, but at the splash 

 of an oar they immediately disappear. These seals were in all cases 

 much more timid than about their island home, where they evidently 

 realize they are i^ractically safe. 



I do not know of any rookery other than those 

 of the seal islands in Bering Sea. F ' F ' Feen,J > *• m 



I have never heard of fur-seal pups being born anywhere except on 

 a rookery, and I have no knowledge of any fur- 

 seal rookeries in Alaska other than those on the Vassili Feodor, p. 231. 

 seal islands of Bering Sea. 



I do not know of any rookery outside of the 

 seal Islands of the Bering Sea, nor have I heard William Foster, p. 220. 

 of any other. 



Neither have we any knowledge of the existence Nicoli Gregoroffet ai., p. 

 of any seal rookeries, except those on the seal 234. 

 islands of Bering Sea. 



I have never heard of, nor have no knowledge of, fur-seal pups being 

 born elsewhere in the northern hemisphere than 

 on the rookeries of the seal islands of Bering Sea. a. J. Guild, p. 232. 

 Neither do I know of any other rookeries than the 

 aforesaid. 



There are no fur-seal rookeries in the Aleutian Islands that I know 

 of; in fact I have never heard of any m the 



region besides those on the several well-known Charles J. Hague, p. 208. 

 seal islands of Bering Sea. 



