CAUSE OF DEATH OF PUPS. 475 



of examining the dead bodies, it was with extreme difficulty that car- 

 casses could be found fresh enough to permit of a satisfactory examina- 

 tion. I examined a large number of carcasses. All showed an entire 

 absence of fatty tissue between the skin and muscular tissue. The 

 omentum in all cases was destitute of fat. These are the positions 

 where fat is usually present in all animals. Well-nourished young ani- 

 mals always have a large amount of fat in these localities. The few 

 carcasses which were found in a fair state of preservation were ex- 

 amined more thoroughly. The stomachs were found empty and con- 

 tracted, but presented no evidence of disease. The intestines were 

 empty, save in a few cases, where small amounts of fecal matter were 

 found in the large intestines. A careful examination of the intestines 

 failed to discover any evidence of disease. The heart, lungs, liver, and 

 kidneys were in a healthy condition. 



Such is the evidence on which I have founded my opinion that the 

 cause of the great mortality during 1891 amongst the young seals on 

 St. Paul Island, Bering Sea, was caused by the deprivation of mother's 

 milk. The result of my investigation is that there was great mortality 

 exclusively amongst nursing seals. Secondly, the cause of this mor- 

 tality seemed to have been abated pari passu with the abatement of 

 sea sealing. Thirdly, the presence of emaciated, sickly looking pups 

 which were apparently deserted by their mothers. Fourthly, the 

 plump, healthy appearance of all the pups I saw nursing. Fifthly, the 

 emaciated condition of the dead. Sixthly, the absence of food in the 

 stomachs, and their contracted condition. Seventhly, the absence of 

 digested food in the small intestines. Eighthly, the absence of even 

 fecal matter, save in small amounts in a few cases. Ninthly, the ab- 

 sence of structural changes in the viscera or other parts of the bodies 

 to account for the death. 



Q. Did you see any dead pups on the rookeries this season ? — A. 

 Yes ; my attention was called to the matter by 

 J. Stanley Brown, who requested me to examine j.c.S.Akerhj,p.U\. 

 them with a view to determining the cause of their 



death. I examined a. number which had apparently recently died. 

 Their bodies were entirely destitute of fat and no food to be found in 

 their stomachs. After a careful examination I found no evidence of 

 disease. 



Q. What do you assign as the cause of their death. — A. I believe 

 them to have died of starvation. 



Q. Why do you think they died of starvation 1 ? — A. From the fact 

 that nearly all the dead on the rookery were pups, and from absence 

 of all signs of disease, emaciated condition of their bodies, and absence 

 of food from their stomachs. 



There were a great many dead pups on the rookeries during my last 

 three years on St. Paul Island. Many of them 

 wandered helplessly about, away from the groups W. C. Allis, p. 98. 

 or "pods'" where they were accustomed to lie, and 

 finally starved to death. We knew at the time what killed them, for 

 the vessels and boats were several times plainly in sight from the 

 Island shooting seals in the water, and the revenue cutters and com- 

 pany's vessels arriving at the island frequently reported tlie presence 

 in Bering Sea and sometimes the capture of these marauding crews. 

 If all had been captured and the business broken up the seal rookeries 

 would be healthy and prosperous to-day, instead of being depleted and 



