320 ORAL ARGUMENT OF FREDERICK R. COUDERT, ESQ. 



ford, for many years resident physician on tlie Pribilof Islands, relates that a pup 

 beinii found which had lost its mother, was placed near the waters edge in order 

 that it might swim to an adjoining rookery and perchance find its pareut. Day after 

 day, he coiitiuues, this pnp was watched, but it would not go near the water, and 

 neither did its mother return. After several days or so, a new emjiloye of that season 

 only, and knowing nothing whatever of fur-seal life and habits, coming along that 

 w;iy and finding the pup in the grass, thinking, probably that he had gotten lost 

 from the other side, took him i\\^ and threw him into the water, with a view of 

 giving him a chance of swimming back home. It was mistaken kindness, however, 

 for he was immediatelj' drowned. 



Dr. Mclntyre, a gentleman who will be often quoted here and who, 

 from his position and his education and character, is entitled to belief 

 whenever he asserts a tact within his own knowledge, — Dr. Mclntyre, 

 who has made the seal habits and industry a life study, states "that 

 it should be particularly noted that they (the pups) are not amphibious 

 until several weeks old''\ Tliey become amphibious only as a result of 

 education and necessity. It is the necessity of going out because when 

 the mother feels that she has performed the functions that iSTature has 

 ordained by nourishing her oftspriug with her milk until it is able to 

 contribute to its own necessities, she drives it into the sea; takes it 

 with her teeth or her flii)pers, and carries it to the sea, compels it to 

 swim, chastises it if it does not, and finally inculcates into it habits which 

 make it, after that time, an amphibious animal. So that it is absolutely 

 true, and cannot be denied, that during a portion at least of its life, 

 and until education has superseded Nature or at least helped it to the 

 final elfort, — during a period of weeks or of months, for we do not all 

 agree about the period, the seal is not ami)hibious but purely a terres- 

 trial animal. That is the time when, as I said, not supposing there 

 could be any contradiction to what seemed to me so plain a proposition, 

 the seal was as much our property as the calf, the ewe, the lamb, or 

 the colt upon our premises, and was like them subject to our decision 

 as to its future, we being able to kill it or to preserve it as we chose. 



The President.— Would you call that treatment of the young pups 

 by their mothers weaning? 



Mr. CouDEKT. — It is in the course of the process of weaning. I have 

 no doubt it is one of the first steps; but weaning does not take place 

 in those few weeks. The pup is gradually prepared, and the suckling 

 goes on for a i^eriod of months. 



The President. — While the pup swims'? 



Mr. CouDERT.— Eather while the pup is learning to swim ; while it is 

 playing about in the water. It is a long time before the pup goes to 

 any great length from the land. 



The young become gradually accustomed to the water, they choose 

 sheltered spots, they play about the shore, they become familiarized 

 with the sea and when the season comes and they must go, they follow 

 in the wake of the other animals. 



The President. — And then they are weaned? 



Mr. CouDENT. — And then they are weaned, but their mother con- 

 tinues in milk (there maybe as to this some (piestion) until a late period 

 in the fall. 



Now I desire, on this point, to quote from the British Commissioners, 

 and I ought to state now and clearly, the position I take with reference 

 to the re])ort of these gentlemen; and if I use any severity of language 

 at times (which will never I hoi)e pass the bounds of entire courtesy 

 and respect), it is because that report, as I read it, is manifestly an 

 apologia for pelagic sealing. These gentlemen— gentlemen of character, 

 of course, education, and intelligence, or they never would have been 



