110 HABITS OF THE ALASKAN SEAL. 



Powers of fcrtii- resided on the islands for over twenty- two vears, 



izatiou. -^ -J ' 



and who prior to that time had been actively 

 engaged in the sealing industry/ Dr. Allen 

 thinks a bull is able to serve from forty to sixty 

 coAVS.^ Mr. Samuel Falconer states that a bull is 

 capable of fertilizing at first six to eight cows a 

 day.^ 



The act of coition takes place uj3on land, 

 Coitiou. which, by reason of the formation of the genital 



orcrans, is similar to that of other mammals.^ It 

 is violent in character, and consumes from five 

 to eiglit minutes.^ Co])ulation in the water is 

 affirmed by Mr. Stanley Brown, Dr. Mclntyre, 

 and others to be impossible.*^ The former bases 

 his opinion on careful observation and on tJie 

 fact that the cow being so much smaller than tlie 

 male (a cow weighs from seventy-five to one 

 liundred and twenty pounds) she would be 

 entirely submerged and would be compelled to 

 remain beneath the surface longer than would 

 be possible. Dr. Mclntyre makes the assertion 

 on twenty years of careful study of seal life 



1 VoL II, p. 183. 



•■' Article by Dr. Allen, Pavt III, Vol. I, p. 407. 



"Vol.II, p. 166. 



■•Ixeporb of Auierican Bering Sea Coinniissioners, ^)08^, p. 327; 

 J. Stanley Brown, Vol. II, p. 14. 



■"'Report of Ameriean Boring Sea Coniniissioners, ;)o,s7. ]>. oL'5; 

 J. Stanley Brown, Vol. II, p. 14. 



«Vol. II, p. 14; Vol. II, p. 42; J.M.Morton, Vol. II, p. G7. 



