31 



XII. FOOD OF THE FUR SEAL. 



SURI'ACE FISHES AND SQUID. 



The food of the fur seal consists mainly of snrface-swimniing fishes and of S(|uid. 

 As to tlie species of fisli, the fur seal lias probahly little choice. It does not dive 

 deeply and its iood is naturally made of the shallow water or surface fishes on its 

 feeding grounds. 



IN IJEIUNG SEA. 



In Bering Sea, in Auy;ust and September, the Alaskan pollock {l'ol!ucItiii>i clialco- 

 (/ rant mil t:} seems to form by far the most important part of the seal's diet. In the 

 stomachs examined by Mr. Lucas this species far outnumbered all others, the squid 

 coming next in l'requen(;y. Salmon are eaten when found, and occasionally species 

 of smaller li.slies not yet fully identified. 



^Ir. Lucas observes: 



"Siiuid and young pollock are eaten in large quantities, the beaks of 155 s<|uid8 

 having been found in one stomach and the bones of 41 young pollock in another. 

 It must, however, be borne in mind that this does not mean that all these were eaten 

 at one time, for a study of the stomach shows that food is eaten and the hard parts 

 regurgitated continually but irregularly." 



From data obtained by Dr. C. Hart IMerriam it apjiears that a large portion of the 

 food of the seals found in the North Pacific between latitude 56"^, longitude 59*^, 

 during April consists of a species of red rocklish (Sebaslodes) and an almost equally 

 large portion of squids {Go)iatiii< ainaiiHH); some pollock {I'olhivliius vJiaJcogrammus) 

 and smaller fishes are also eaten. 



No codfish or halibut has been found by us in seals" stomachs. These bottom fishes 

 probably swim at de])ths too great for them to be often taken by the fur seal. No 

 species of shark or dogfish ever has been found in the seal's stomach so far as known 

 to Mr. Lucas, to Ur. Merriam, or to myself. 



SPEWINGS ON THE ROOKERIES. 



About the Commander Islands the spewings of the fur seals consist largely of the 

 beaks of squid. On the rookeries of the Pribilof Islands spewings containing 

 squid beaks and eyes, also the fiesh and bones of pollock, were found. This is 

 almost the only evidence we have on land of the feeding of the seals. It is likely 

 that the animals do not come on land with food in their stomachs except in very 

 rare instances. The only evidence we have of these exceptional cases is in the 

 presence of the spewings. 



FEEDING OF BACHELORS. 



During the killing season the stomachs of the bachelors are found to be empty. 

 It has been supj)osed on this account that they fasted during the sununer. This is 

 l^robably not the cas(\ At a food killing on ( ictober 15, on St. Paul, 59 seals were 

 killed. They were driven from Zolotoi sands, to which they liad returned the day 

 before after an absence of three weeks. They gave every indi( ation of having fed 

 largely, but the stomachs of the entire lot were enij)ty. During Se]!tember and 

 (-)ctober four cows were killed for investigation of the development of the tu'tus. The 

 animals were chosen with reference to throwing light also on the ibod question. 

 Their stouuichs were wholly devoid of food. A large adult bull recently in i'rom 

 feeding and so fat that he could scarcelj' walk was killed in October and found with- 

 out food in his stomach. 



SEALS REMAIN IN W'ATER WHILE FOOD DIGESTS. 



From these facts it seems clear that the fur seals remain in the water until the 

 food in their stomachs is digested. Investigation of the supjiosed feeiling of pups 

 shows that they are doul)tless also in the water for the same jjurjiose. This explains 

 the presence of the mass of seals which were constantly seen through the entire 

 season swimming about in an aimless fashion before the rockeries. It also explains 

 why cows are never seen to come directly in from the sea, but always apparently 

 from the fringe of idle seals ott'shore. They delay to finish digesting their food. 

 It also obviates the necessity for supposing that the bachelors fast during the sum- 

 mer. In the ease of the adult bulls the fiisting is necessary, but no good reason can 

 be assigned for the alleged fasting of the bachelors. Their continuous plumpness 

 indicates that they do not fast. 



