138 SEALS AND SEAL SHOOTING 



however, I am not positive, as I have never had 

 sufficient opportunity to make sure of it; but I 

 am led to think so because they will come to 

 a call, if properly made, during the month 

 of September. They bring forth their young 

 during the months of June and July, but mostly 

 in July. The little ones are perfectly white 

 at birth, but after a few minutes their first coat 

 is lost and they take their true hair and color, 

 which is whitish on the under parts and well spot- 

 ted and marked (black and white) on the back. 

 At the end of two or three weeks they are left to 

 shift for themselves. They are very fat, and 

 yield about two gallons of oil on an average, more 

 than half their weight being fat. This coat of fat 

 is soon lost, however, and at the end of July or 

 early in August they have little more than four 

 or five pounds of it left. They then feed 

 voraciously and soon put on a sufficient layer to 

 protect them from the winter's cold. The harbor 

 seals do not migrate, but are here winter and 

 summer. They are not gregarious, and in open 

 water are seldom met in any numbers; three or 

 four together at the most. At the time of bring- 

 ing forth their young they congregate on sand 

 banks or rocky islets. Numbers also assemble to 

 rest or bask in the sun, and if disturbed, scatter 

 in all directions. Unlike our other seals, they 

 seem to delight in fresh water, ascending the 

 rivers for long distances, and occasionally going 



