102 HABITS OF THE ALASKAN SEAL. 



Aquatic iiyrtii In vicw of tliG forGO'oinjT' circumstances, it is 



impossible. 



clear that it is an impossibility for a pup seal to 

 be born in the water and live; this is confirmed 

 by the statements of all those who have studied 

 into or had experience with seal life;^ and is 

 well known to be a peculiarity of all Pinnipedia.^ 

 Prof W. H, Dall, a recognized authority on all 

 Alaskan matters, states that a pup born under 

 such circumstances would unquestionably perish, 

 and further adds that "when it is the habit of an 

 animal to give birth to its young upon the land, 

 it is contrary to biological teaching and common 

 sense to suppose that they could successfully bring 

 them forth in the water." ^ Mr. Stanley Brown, 

 in considering this question, says : " Were not the 

 seals in their organs of reproduction, as ^^ell as 

 in all the incidents of procreation, essentially land 

 animals, the fact that the placenta remains attach- 

 ed to the pup by the umbilical cord for twenty- 

 four hours or even more after birth, would show 

 the impossibility of aquatic birth. I have seen 

 pups dragging the caul over the ground on the 

 third day after birth. Even could the pup stand 



IT. F. Morgau, Vol. II, p. 62; Charles Bryant, Vol. II, p. 5; 

 Kerrick Artomauoff, Vol. II, p. 100. 



2 Appendix C, Report of American Bering Sea Commissioners, 

 post, p. 327. 



3 Vol. II, p. 23. 



