REPORT OF BRITISH COMMISSIONERS. 17 



migrates, both equally uecessaiy to its existence under jires- 

 ent circumstances, the one frequented in summer, the other 

 during" the winter. If it were possible to confine the fur- 

 seal to the vicinity of the northern islands resorted to dur- 

 ing the breeding season, or even within the limits of Beh- 

 ring Sea, the species would become extinct in a single year; 

 but if, in any way, it were to be debarred from reaching 

 the islands now chiefly resorted to for breeding purposes, 

 it would, according to experience recorded elsewhere, 

 speedily seek out other i)laces upon which to give birth to 

 its young. 



2!). The fur-seal of the Southern Hemisphere, wliile rec- 

 ognized as distinct in kind, resembles that of the North 

 Pacific in its habitual resort to littoral breeding places and 

 in other respects, but is not known to migrate regularly 

 over such great tracts of sea, or to have definitely separable 

 summer and winter habitats. 



30. With reference to the length of the period during 



which the fur-seals resort to the shore: — The breeding Evoiita on 

 males begin to arrive on the Pribyloft' Islands at varying i>r<p<iiiig places. 

 dates in May, and remain continuously ashore for about 

 three months, after which they are freed from all duties on 

 the breeding rookeries, and only occasionally return to the 

 shores. The breeding females arrive for the most i^art 

 nearly a month later, bearing their young immediately on 

 landing, and remaining ashore, jealously guarded by the 

 males, ibr several weeks, after which they take every oppor- 

 tunity to play in the water close along the beaches, and 

 about a mouth later they also begin to leave the islands in 

 search of food, and, migrate to their winter habitat. The 

 young males and the young females come ashore later than 

 the breeding seals, and at more irregular dates, and "haul 

 out" by themselves. Lastly, the pups of the year, born in 

 June and July, commence to "pod," or herd together away 

 from their mothers, towards the middle or end of August, 

 and after that frequent the beaches in great numbers, and 

 bathe and swim in the surf. They remain on the islands 

 until October, and even November, being among the last 

 to leave. 



31. While resorting to or remaining on the land, the fur- 

 seal is practically defenceless, and it is, therefore, on unin- 

 habited islands or rocks that large numbers of seals are 



known to congregate during the breeding season. Such j,i^Jj,'' ** *^ * " ^ 

 places alone have afforded the necessary security from 

 various predaceous animals and from man, and all the noted 



seal " rookeries" of both hemispheres have been 

 7 found on unpeopled insular areas. The latitude and 



corresponding climate of such breeding places has 

 doubtless been a circumstance of some importance in ren- 

 dering certain localities congenial to the fur-seal, but even 

 the vSingle species inhabiting the North Pacific shows a con- 

 siderable range of adaptability in this respect, provided 

 that thenecessary security against disturbance and destruc- 

 tion be afforded for adults and young. 



32. Until the discovery by the Kussians of the Com- 

 mander Islands in 1741, and the Pribyloft' Islands in 1786, 



B s, PT VI 2 



