FEEDING EXCURSIONS. 149 



The food of the fur-seal I believe to consist mainly of fish, and prob- 

 ably chiefly, while in Bering Sea, at least, of cod- 

 fish, the partially digested vertebrae of this species H. R. Molntyre, p. 43. 

 having been found in the stomachs of slaughtered 



animals more frequently than any other food. Squid and crustaceans 

 have also been found in some instances, but the supply of these is com- 

 paratively limited, while it is a well-known fact that the waters of Ber- 

 ing Sea at nearly all points, and particularly in that zone, from 20 to 

 60 miles south of the Pribilof Group abound in cod. The presumption 

 is well grounded that the old male, at least, made good use of his op- 

 portunity in the off season, for he leaves the islands in August, after an 

 absolute fast of three to four months, very lank and lean, and again 

 takes his place upon the breeding grounds in April or May well 

 rounded out with a thick envelope of blubber. 



I have seen the stomachs of several seals after they were killed and 

 they contained ouly pieces of fish, which seemed 

 to be their sole food. I do not know whether they T. F. Ryan, p. 175. 

 eat kelp or not. 



Their food is mainly fish, and they are naturally found where that is 

 most abundant. Seal-hunters say and statistics 

 show that where fish are most plentiful, as in lati- C. M. Scammon, p. 475. 

 tude 55° to 50° north, in Bering Sea, on the 



Shumagin Banks off the Alaskan Peninsula, and off the entrance to 

 the Straits of Fuca, there the best catches of seals are made. 



FEEDING EXCURSIONS. 



Page 116 of The Case. 

 [See also "Food" and "Pelagic Sealing— Destruction of Nursing Females."] 



Have taken females that were full of milk 60 Peter A nderson, p. 313. 

 miles from the Pribilof Islands. 



I observed that very few seals go out to sea to feed during June, 

 July, and August, except females and some of 

 the younger males. Jno - Arm8tron S> P- *• 



The females go and come after the first few days of their stay at the 

 island. I have seen rookeries, and particularly 

 the one on the reef, plainly in sight from St. Paul j m . Armstrong, p. 2. 

 village, swarming with pups and comparatively 



few mothers in sight, and it has sometimes remained so for twenty or 

 thirty hours at a time, convincing me that they must have gone a con- 

 siderable distance from the islands for food. 



In four or five days after it is born the mother Kerrick Artomanoff, p. 

 seal leaves her pup and goes away in the sea to 10 °- 

 feed. 



Most of the seal taken in Bering Sea by me were cows with milk. 

 Cows with milk have been taken by me 100 miles Wilton C. Bennett, p. 

 from the Pribilof Islands. 357. 



