CAUSES. 163 



The climate and food supply undoubtedly control the migration of 

 the seals as they do other animals. The old 



males being hardier and stronger can withstand 5Q ^- L - Roo l }er > Vo1 - I> P- 

 the climate and secure food under conditions that 



would be unendurable for females and young. Male seals remain upon 

 and around the islands until the ice appears. The natives say the cod- 

 fish also disappears with the first appearance of ice. Many of these 

 males, I believe, remain upon the fishing banks in Bering Sea during 

 the rest of the winter. Some of them go to the banks outside of the 

 Aleutian chain, and others to the banks farther east. 



The fur seal belonging to this island [Guadelupe.] does not migrate, 

 the climate being sufficiently uniform all the year 

 round to make it unnecessary for them to do so. lsaau Liebcs >P- 515 - 



The movements of the seals are governed quite An\on Melovidoff, p. 

 considerably by the weather. 1 ^* 



Early in November, convoyed by the older seals, the pups leave the 

 island and go to the southward, apparently moved 

 thereto not only by migratory instincts, but be- H.H.Mclntyre,pAl. 

 cause the weather at the islands at this time be- 

 comes unendurably severe for them, and perhaps for the further reason 

 that a sufficient food supply for all can not be found in the immediate 

 vicinity of the islands. But the inference is reasonable that they pre- 

 fer to stay upon or near the islands at this time, from the fact that as 

 long as the weather is comfortable the pups and nonbreeding seals may 

 always be found there in large numbers ; and even after snow falls and 

 severe weather has been recorded, the nonbreeding males, upon the re- 

 currence of milder weather, again resort to land, and have, within the 

 time of my connection with the business, been repeatedly captured upon 

 the islands in considerable numbers in December and January. With- 

 out the data at hand from which to absolutely verify my statement, I 

 think I am correct in saying that this class of animals remained in the 

 vicinity of the islands throughout three of the twenty years from 1870 

 to 1890, and more or less of them were killed on shore in every month. 



I believe all classes of seals would remain constantly about the 

 islands if conditions of climate and food supply were favorable to their 

 doing so. 



On the approach of inclement and wintry weather the seals migrate 

 to find places where food is abundant and where 

 the climatic conditions suit them best; but it is H. W. Mclntyre, p. 136. 

 notable that they are governed in this solely by 



consideration of their own comfort and convenience, and not by any 

 fixed or even approximate time. 



Indeed, so well are the people of the islands aware of their habits in 

 this respect, that they carefully watch for the approach of ice or of se- 

 vere storms from the northwest before taking their supply of seals for 

 winter food. 



I have seen many seals upon the Island each month in the year, with 

 a possible exception of the month of March; and I have been informed 

 that, since I left the service, seals have been seen and captured on shore 

 in this month also. 



