35S THE FUR SEALS OF THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS. 



The clianjjes on the slide go ou. A lias 10 cows. B has (J cows near hlni, and 

 probably 4 more at some little distance are umler his jurisdiction. The harems are 

 all scattered out in irregular fashion. Among his nearest cows are 3 little white 

 breasted cows with dove colored backs. They look like virgins. The other cows are 

 brown and larger. 



The little cow, supposed to be a virgin hist night, and which was ou tlie crest of 

 the slide, appears to be about halfway down in another harem. She is brown, but 

 very snudl; the smallest cow seen. It is jirobable that the light cohu' in the younger 

 animals is a matter of individual variation. The case of the two virgins killed which 

 showed tin- two distinct types of coloration bears this out. It nuiy be that the lighter 

 auiuuils represent that class of pups which show thi^ brown belly. 



has 19 cows. X is gone from Y's place. An idle bull from the rear has taken 

 his position— the old position of A. Y is still by the cliff's edge. X is lying flat iu 

 the edge ot O's harem, which is crowded down toward the cliff. 1) has lilt cows, Init 

 one can not be certain. The young half bull Z, seen to tease the cows trying to return 

 from the slide to C's harem, lies sleeping iu the place where we left him last night. 

 There are 12 cows in the space formerly oin-upied by E, a different bull in charge. 

 F and il can not be distinguished or counted with certainty. 



THE (JHAUACTERISTICS OF THE FUR SEALS. 



A fur seal has almost as much in common with the grizzly bear as with the true 

 seal. It is nmghly a grizzly bear with webbed feet liattened and oar shaped. E.\cei)t 

 for its wonderful powers of swimming, its habits and appearance are that of a land 

 animal. The elements determining its residence on the islands are the (;old, moist, 

 sunless weather, the ice cold water, and the absence of nati\e population or of any 

 creature on laud iiowerful enough to be an enemy. lleiu'C its choice of uninhabited 

 islands. Its migrations are influenced by the encroachments of floating and coast 

 ice, and its other movetnents by the need of food. 



THE SLAUGHTER t>F THE SEALS. 



To kill the whole body of seals on the islands, as has been lately i)ropose(l, is, 

 of course, no worse than to destioy the herd by pelagic sealing; for land protection 

 is a farce if the fenuile can not feed safely at sea. Nevertheless such action is a 

 confession of impoteucy a great nation should never think of making. 



The real interests of England are identical with ours, as are the real interests of 

 the civilized world, and some method must be found to put an end to the indifference 

 and jealousy which now prevents just or rational action. If the seal herd is to exist it 

 (;an not be preyed upon by any nation. If it were true that the removal of bachelors 

 diminished the herd it should be forbidden, like any other depredation. That it does 

 not reduce the herd, is perfectly plain, and no one conversant with the facts has 

 honestly denied it. 



The white semi-albino 5-year-old' has been seen sleeping in the same spot on 

 Zoltoi Bluffs for a week or more. Though several times driven off in the meantime 

 he had invariably returned. This gives some idea of the length of time the older 

 bachelors remain on shore. 



This animal was seen iu the same j)lace on oiii' or two occasions in 1SII7. 



