182 MIGRATION OF THE HERD. 



My observation on this coast is, that the young seals are nearest to 



land and the cow seals liave a course some farther 



Wm. Parker, p. 344. out. The bulls are still farther out and much 



more scattered and shy. The seals lay around off 



the coast of California and north of there until early in February, when 



they commence to work slowly along up the coast and enter Bering Sea 



in June and July. Their habits in this respect are well known to the 



hunters. 



The seals first appear in this vicinity about the 1st of January, and 

 pass along up the coast in June and July. The 



Wilson Parker, p. 392. cows most all disappear in June and the younger 

 seals a little later. 



I do not know at what times or by what routes the seal herds move 

 to and from the Bering Sea; have heard old hunt- 



Filaret rrokopief, p.216. ers say the Commander Islands herd used to pass 

 close to the western shores of these islands on 

 their way north. 



I have found that seals appear off the Farralone Islands about Christ- 

 mas, off British Columbia in March, off Yakutat 

 TV. BoUrts, p. 241. Bay Apdl 15th< 



Beginning at Cooks Inlet, in the spring, we find seals off the inlet 

 in May traveling westward along the coast to- 



Wm. Rolde, p. 225. ward £ he Berin g g ea< 



Adolphut Sayers,p. 473. We commenced to seal from the Cordell Banks 

 off the coast of California right up to the Bering 



At the time my book was written the regular migratory habits of the 

 animals were not as well understood in respect to 

 C. M. Scammon. p. 474. the routes of migration as they are now, and 

 naturalists always commence their description 

 with the arrival of the different classes of seals at the northern breed- 

 ing grounds, begining with the " bulls " in the early spring, following 

 them with the "cows" and u bachelors" at a later date, and then tak- 

 ing up the birth and development of the young. This, I think, resulted 

 from our ignorance of where they spent the winter months. Now it is 

 well known that the Pribilof seals work their way down to the coasts 

 of California, Oregon, and British Columbia, and go north again in the 

 spring; and that the Commander Islands herd migrates down the Asi- 

 atic coast, the two herds keeping apart from each other. I held this 

 opinion many years ago, as is shown by my letter to the honorable 

 Secretary of the Treasury, written August 30, 1801), as follows, and later 

 observations and reading have confirmed my conclusions: 



" San Francisco, Cal., 



" August 30, 1869. 

 11 Sir: While on the station at Puget Sound frequent opportunities 

 offered to observe the habits of the fur-seals. 



" I have long been of the opinion that those seen off the mouth of 

 Juan de Fuca Strait were a portion at least of the great herds that make 



