OBSERVATIONS ON THE FUR-SEAL. 575 



in which to live than do the female and young male seals. This fact 

 accounts for the separation of the old males from the rest of the herd. 

 The females and small seals of both sexes continue their southward 

 movement in the cold Humboldt current off the coast of California, 

 where, having found the slightly higher water temperature adapted to 

 their needs, they disperse over the ocean in search of food. 



The same laws govern the seals on their way to the breeding-grounds, 

 combined with the strongest instincts in all animals — propagation and 

 care of the young. In spring the old males are the first to become 

 uneasy under the increasing temperature of the water, which has risen 

 from about 42° F. early in February to 50° late in April, the normal 

 temperature sought by the seals being between 40° and 4G°. To seek 

 relief by reducing the temperature, they start toward the north (the 

 only direction in which this object can be attained), and, guided by 

 the cold stream which flows along the coast of Alaska and Vancouver, 

 they are led in the direction of the rookeries. 



The course of the seal herd to the Pribilof Islands, by the cold cur- 

 rents which flow from that direction through the passes in the Aleutian 

 chain, is only interrupted near the " Fairweather Ground " off Sitka, 

 where the influence of the warm water of the Japan current causes 

 some confusion in the progress of the seals. This region is much 

 resorted to by the pelagic hunters and is a vast slaughteringgrouud. 

 Off Sitka large x>ortions of the herd are often found, in their bewilder- 

 ment, heading in various ways, and sometimes they make considerable 

 progress in the direction from which they have come; but finally the 

 seals get within the influence of the cold stream in the vicinity of 

 Kadiak and then, through the passes in the islands, they enter Bering 

 Sea and are virtually on the breeding-grounds. 



The females and young males are influenced in their northern move- 

 ments by the same conditions which affect the old males. The females, 

 however, on account of their being with young, make slower progress 

 than the others, and are easily approached and killed when fatigue 

 compels them to rest at the surface of the water. The presence of food 

 off the coast and estuaries of the rivers also affects in some degree the 

 course of the seals. 



The feeding habits of the breeding males are similar to those of some 

 fish, as, for instance, the salmon. During their absence from the rook- 

 eries they accumulate a vast amount of energy and food in the form of 

 fat, which is deposited under the skin, in the muscles, and about the 

 viscera; so that after the breeding season begins they abstain wholly 

 from food and, during a period of more than three mouths, retain their 

 vitality by assimilating the stored fat, while the other seals are obliged 

 to make frequent excursions to the fishing banks. In like manner, after 

 the salmon leave the ocean, enter the rivers, and commence their long 

 journey to the spawning-grounds, they eat nothing, but maintain their 

 strength on the fat with which they were fortifying themselves while at 



