THE COURSE. 109 



I have observed that fur-seals first appear in the neighborhood of 

 Cooks Inlet in small schools about the middle of 

 April, coming from the southward, and increase in m. Cohen, p. 225. 

 numbers until the latter p^rt of May, traveling 

 along the coast of the mainland from the eastward to the westward. 



Upon the approach of winter the seals leave their home, influenced 

 doubtless by the severity of the climate and de- 

 crease in the food supply. They go southward, w. n. Ball, p. 23. 

 making their way through the passes of the Aleu- 

 tian chain. In latitude 50° or thereabouts, extending across the Pacific 

 east and west, is a warm current of about 70 or 80 miles in breadth; 

 in this warm water are found fish and crustaceans. This current sets 

 eastward and is somewhat quickened at the approach of spring m har- 

 money with the monsoons of its place of origin. In the spring and fall 

 I have seen seals in these warmer waters, but in August, when I once 

 crossed the current, they were absent. Undoubtedly the seals find 

 there agreeable temperature and sufficient food supply, and, following 

 the eastward set of the current and the migrations of the fish, find their 

 way to the western coast of the United States and, thence turn north- 

 ward being influenced by the bountiful food supply along the northwest 

 coast, and finally by that route return to their home upon the Pribilof 

 Islands. 



The cows seem to disappear from the coast sooner than the young 

 seals do. 



The seals first appear off the cape about Christ- FrankDavis, p. 383. 

 mas, and I have caught young seals as late as July. 



First found and taken seal off Cape Flattery in January and followed 

 them up the coast into Bering Sea, which they 

 enter about June 20. Geor( J e Dishow > P- 323 - 



At Afognak, where I was for two years engaged in fur trading, han- 

 dling skins and furs of all descriptions, I observed 

 that the fur-seals first appear off that part of the John Duff, p. 277. 

 coast in small numbers about the latter part of 



the month of April. They were most numerous towards the middle of 

 June, passing in schools from the eastward to the westward, following 

 general trend of the coast. 



The seals appear in the straits of San Juan de Fuca the latter part 

 of December, and are all gone by the middle of 

 July. Ellabush, p. 383. 



The full-grown cows leave this vicinity for the 

 north earlier than the younger ones do. I catch more young seals in 

 May and June than I do earlier in the season. 



A year ago last March I saAV a heard of seals of from .500 to GOO just 

 above Cape Mendocino. I have also often met 

 large numbers scattered along the coast of Cape m. C. ErsHne, p. 421. 

 Flattery, generally from 10 to 20 miles offshore. 



I have never been around the coast from Sitka to Prince William Sound. 

 From what I have seen and heard I believe seals are found from Cape 

 Mendocino up to Cape Flattery in the winter months. In December, 



