488 FAMILY PHOCIIXaE. 



common to several of the species. Others, however, are seden- 

 tary. The common Harbor Seal (Phoca vitulina) is so strictly non- 

 migratory that wherever it occurs at all it is reported to be 

 found at all seasons. The Eough or Hispid Seal (Phoca fcetida) 

 is to only a small extent, if at all, migratory, and the same is 

 true of the Bearded Seal (Erignathus larbatus). On the other 

 hand, the Hooded Seal (Cystophora cristata) and the Harp or 

 Greenland Seal (Phoca grwnlandica) move southward in winter 

 and northward in summer. Most Arctic explorers have noted 

 these movements, which in point of regularity have been com- 

 pared to migrations of ducks and geese and other boreal water- 

 fowl. Their passage along the Labrador coast and arrival in 

 the Straits of Belle Isle, and other portions of the Newfound- 

 land coast, have long been a matter of record, as well as the 

 periodical departure and return of certain species on the west 

 coast of Greenland. The Greenland Seal especially makes 

 long journeys in spring to its favorite breeding-grounds, and 

 later disperses to other haunts. Drs. Koldewey and Pansch, in 

 referring to the assembling in spring of this species in the icy 

 seas westward of Jan Mayen and Spitzbergeu, observe as fol- 

 lows: " The appearance of these Seals reminded us that we 

 were now in the neighborhood of the Seal-catchers, that is, in 

 that part of the northern icy seas where, from the end of March 

 to the end of April, the Seals come in thousands to the smooth 

 floating ice to cast their young ones. These i Seal-coasts' change 

 their position somewhat every year, and range between 68 

 and 74 N. Lat., and from 2 to 16 W. Long. It is a highly 

 interesting sight to see the Seals assembled from all quarters 

 at this time. It is said that they not only come from the coasts 

 of Spitzbergen and Greenland, but even swim in flocks from 

 Nova Zeinbla." * 



Mr. H. Y. Hind, in referring to their movements along the 

 eastern coast of North America, says that in autumn, before 

 the ice forms, "they 'hug' the shore, either of Labrador or 

 Newfoundland, penetrating into all the bays and never going 

 far from land. During the colder winter months they strike into 

 the Gulf, looking for ice-floes, on which they give birth to their 

 young in March, and [where they] continue for two or three 

 months. In May and June they congregate near the coasts, 

 and return to the main ocean for the summer." t 



* German Arctic Exped., 1869-70, English ed., 1874, p. 61. 



tExpl. in the Interfor of the Labrador Peninsula, vol. ii, 1863, p. 202. 



