THE HOODED SEAL: HABITS. 71 



in a small creek that empties into Long Inland Sound :it Ka-t I'he-tei-, about fifteen miles from 

 New York City. Twenty years' later be refers to this as the first and only known instance of it* 

 occurrence within the limits of the State of New York, where, he nays, " it can only be regarded 

 as a ran- and accidental visitor." Professor Cope, however, has recorded its capture in the Chesa- 

 peake Hay, where he says it has twice occurred. 1 The first specimen was recorded in 18Uff*M 

 " some species of Cyntophora, taken near Cambridge, Maryland, on an arm of the Chesajwake Bay, 

 eighteen miles from salt water, by Mr. Daniel M. Henry." The specimen, it is said, "measured 

 <i : f feet, and weighed, when living, about 330 Ibs." Although Professor Cope adds, "Whether this 

 spei-ies is the 0. cristata or antillarum, cannot be determined, owing to the imi>erfection of extant 

 descriptions," there is no reason for doubting that it was really the Crested Seal, a conclusion to 

 which 1'rot'essor Cope seems to have later arrived. Although Gray's suggestion anent the English 

 specimen naturally arises, namely, transportation from the north in some ship, it seems more 

 probable that they were really wanderers from the usual home of the species. 



HABITS. As already noted in the account of the geographical distribution of this secies, it is, 

 like the Harp Seal, pelagic and migratory, preferring the drift ice of the "high seas" to the vicinity 

 of land, and seems rarely if ever to resort to rocky islands or shores. It brings forth its young on 

 the ice, remote from the land, in March, a week or ten days later than the Harp Seal, with which 

 it appears only rarely to associate, although the two species are often found on neighboring ice- 

 floes. It is commonly described as the most courageous and combative of the Phocids, often 

 turning liercely upon its pursuers. 



The Hooded Seal is described as very active when in the water. It swims very low, with only 

 the top of the head above the surface. During the rutting season the males wage fierce battles for 

 the possession of the females, the noise of which may be heard miles away. At times the sexes 

 are said to live apart, but associate in families during the breeding season. Their iifl'ection for 

 each other, and especially for their young, is represented as very strong, both parents remaining 

 by them wi.h such persistency that the whole family are easily killed. 



FOOD. The food of this species doubtless consists chiefly of fishes of different secies. Malm- 

 1:11-11 supposed it to subsist mainly on those of large size. That it also feeds upon squids, and 

 probablj' on other mollusks, is evinced by their remains having been found in their stomachs, as 

 well as "the beaks of large cuttle-fish."* 



HUNTING AND PRODUCTS. This species, owing to its scarcity, is of relatively small commer- 

 cial importance, yet many are taken every year by the Newfoundland and Jan Mayen sealers; 

 generally no separate estimates, however, are given of the number taken. Dr. Kink states that 

 the average annual catch in Greenland is 3,000. The flesh is greatly esteemed by the Greenlanders. 



The Hooded Seal is usually taken on the ice, but Mr. Ileeks states that many are also shot in 

 the spring of the year by the settlers along the coast of Newfoundland. As already stated, the 

 hood of the male affords such a protection to its owner as to render the animal so provided very 

 hard to kill with the ordinary seal-club, or even with a heavy load of shot; and they are, further 

 more, "at times very savage, and it requires great dexterity on the part of the seal-hunters to keep 

 from being bitten." 



"New York Zoobgy, or the Fnumi of New York, 1842, (>t. i, p. Ott. 



New Topographical Alias of Maryland, 1873, p. 16. 



Proceedings of the Acadrmy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia, 1865, p. 273. 



1 JUKES: Excursions in Newfoundland, vol. i, p. :'!-'. 



