CLASSIFICATION. 103 



CLASSIFICATION. 



Page 98 of The Case. 



Tlie seals which make their home upon the Pribilof Islands are readily 

 thrown into live general groups. (1) The breed- 

 ing males or bulls. (2) The breeding females. J. Stanley- Broun, p. vs. 

 (3) The immature males or bachelor seals. (4) 



Virgin females; and (5) The pups. Each has it own time of arrival, 

 each its separate career on the islands, and each its season for the 

 annual expedition into the Pacific Ocean. 



I have dissected the brains, eyes, and hearts, and have examined the 

 lungs, liver, and internal viscera generally of 

 such seal as are to be found on the killing grounds, w. S. Hereford, p. 35. 

 Have also examined some of the stomachs of the 

 pups on the rookeries in the fall. 



The fur-seal has unusually thin bones covering the brain. The brain 

 is well shaped, the same almost as a human brain, quite large, and if 

 one could judge from external appearances the animal possessing such 

 a brain should be unusually intelligent. The eye during life is huge, 

 dark, sympathetic, and intelligent looking, but, alas for appearances! 

 On land they may be occasionally suspicious, especially should their 

 other senses be helped out by their olfactories, for they have the keenest 

 scent, but in the water they display the greatest curiosity and confi- 

 dence in passing objects. They will catch up and follow a boat, and in 

 fact I have seen them play around the " killer-whale" totally oblivious 

 of the fact that this " killer" is their bitter enemy. I have at the same 

 time seen the sea-lion, which is generally considered more stupid, 

 though braver, rush into shore and land on the rocks under similar 

 circumstances, apparently preparing to chance death from the natives 

 to being snapped in two and made a meal of in two mouthfuls by the 

 "killers." 



I am of the impression that the fur-seal, notwithstanding its mag- 

 nificent-looking eye, has rather a short range of vision; it may be more 

 powerful under water than out. * * * 



Of the lungs, liver, heart, and testicles of the male fur-seal, which I 

 have observed, there is nothing peculiar about them. The penis is 

 characteristic of the class to which the fur-seal belongs. The brain, 

 heart, liver, and kidneys make very good eating, and taste about the 

 same as those of other animals. The meat, however, which must be en- 

 tirely freed from all its blubberor fat, though quite nutritious ami palata- 

 ble, is somewhat soft, of a dark color, and reminds one, according to how 

 it is cooked, of wild duck, venison, etc., only it must never he eaten 

 rare, but always well done. On our table it generally went by the 

 name of St. Paul or St. George mutton, respectively, and had its regu- 

 lar place in our bill of fare, being far more preferable to " salt horse " 

 and canned stuffs. 



