AQUATIC BIRTH IMPOSSIBLE. Ill 



Were not tlie seals in their organs of reproduction, as well as in all 

 the incidents of procreation, essentially land ani- 

 mals, the fact that the placenta remains attached J - stanln J Brown, p. 15. 

 to the pup by the umbilical cord for twenty-four hours or even more 

 after birth, would show the impossibility of aquatic birth. I have seen 

 pups dragging the caul over the ground on the third day after birth. 

 Even could the pup stand the buffeting of the waves it would not sur- 

 vive such an anchor. No pup could be born in the water and live. 

 Doubtless the habits of the sea-otter have become confused with those 

 of the fur-seal. 



Cow seals can not give birth to their young in the water or on the 

 kelp and have them live. I have never seen nor 

 known of any pups along the coast that were born Pet€r Brou '"> P- 3 ' 8 - 

 in the same year, and 1 have never known any cow seals to be caught 

 along the coast that had given birth to their young, and in whose breast 

 there was milk, and it is very seldom that we catch a full-grown cow 

 that does not have a pup in her. 



During this period the pup is in no sense an amphibian, being as 

 helpless in the water as a young chicken; it can 

 not swim, and when thrown in the water would Ghas. Bryant, p. 5. 

 inevitably drown if not rescued by its mother or 



by man. Therefore, f a pup was born in the water it would certainly 

 perish. I have seen cases where a mother, being taken by the pains of 

 parturition, sought the nearest beach rather than a rookery,not having 

 time to reach the latter before the birth of her pup. If pups could be 

 born in the water such cases as the last stated would not occur. 



If a pup should be born in the water it would unquestionably be 

 drowned; but I believe that it is an absolute im- 

 possibility for successful birth to take placjein the s.N.Buynitsky, p. 21. 

 water, for the reason that the mother would die of 

 exhaustion belore or while bringing forth her young. 



Once I killed a cow in milk, the only one of the Landis Call apa, p. 379. 

 kind I have ever known being caught on the 

 ciast. 



Have never known any seal pup born in the Chas. Campbell, p. 256. 

 water, nor on the coast anywhere outside of the 

 Pribilof Islands. 



We have never seen fur-seal pups of the same season's birth in the 

 water at sea, and do not believe it possible for 



for them to be successfully reared except on a v ™£ lU Chlchtn °# et al -> 

 rookery. 



Have never known or heard of pup seals being S. Chinkoo-tin,p. 257. 

 born in the water, nor on the land anywhere in 

 Alaska. 



I never knew of fur-seal pups being born anywhere except on a rook- 

 ery, and do not believe they can be successfully Juliu8 chrm an86n ^ 2l ^ 

 raised under other conditions. 



