RELATING TO PRIBILOF ISLANDS. 35 



farther and farther. Distance, however, is no parti 3nlar object to 

 them, as they are very speedy travelers. I do not know wliether the 

 mother seal has the power of vohmtarily restraining and postponing 

 the invohmtary act of hibor or not, bnt it wonld abnost seem as if she 

 had, as on many occasions she will have bnt jnst dragged herself ashore 

 when she will give birth to her yonng. This may be a coincidence only, 

 bnt when not distnrbed they usnally come ashore with plenty of time 

 to make themselves comfortable. 



I have dissected the brains, eyes, and hearts, and have examined 

 the lungs, liver, and internal viscera generally, of such seal as are to 

 be found on the killing grounds. Have also examined some of the 

 stomachs of the pups on the rookeries in the fall. 



The fur-seal has unusually thin bones covering the brain. The brain 

 is well shaped, the same almost as a human brain, quite large, and if 

 one could judge from external api)earances the animal 

 possessing such a brain should be unusually intelli- ^^"'^toinyof theseai. 

 gent. The eye duriug life is large, dark, sympathetic, and intelli- 

 gent-looking, but, alas for appearances! On land they may be occa- 

 sionally suspicious, especially should their other senses be helped out 

 by their olfactories, for they have the keenest scent, but in the water 

 they display the greatest curiosity and confidence in 

 passing objects. They will catch up and follow a boat, t„ro in the watS. "**' 

 and in fact I have seen them play around the " killer- 

 whale" totally oblivious of the fact that this " killer "is their bitter enemy. 

 I have at the same time seen the sea lion, which is generally consid- 

 ered more stupid, though braver, rush into shore and land on the rocks 

 under similar circumstances, apparently preparing to chance death from 

 the natives to being snapped in two and made a meal of in two mouth- 

 fuls by the "killers." 



I am of the impression that the fur-seal, notwithstanding its mag- 

 nificent-looking eye, has rather a short range of vision; ., 



• . 1 r 1 1 1. J.1 i. Shortrans;eot vision. 



it may be more poweriul under water than out. 



Of the stomachs of the killable seals, I may say that there is no de- 

 gree of regularity in what may be found in them ; perhaps oftener noth- 

 ing, many times a few worms, frequently a few small stones, sometimes 

 a quantity of pea-soup-looking fluid, the result of the process of diges- 

 tion, while some may contain the remains of fish bones, kelp, etc. Of the 

 female fur-seal stomach I know nothing, as they are not allowed to be 

 killed on the islands, but I think it would be safe to say remnants of a 

 fish and kelp diet would frequently be found, as that ^^^^ 

 is their natural food, and they do considerable travel- 

 ing backwards and forwards from the fishing banks while nursing their 

 young after having received the attention of the bulls. The pups 

 di'iven up for native use in the fall were always full to overflowing 

 with milk, their stomachs containing nothing else. These pups are as 

 round and plump as partridges, while those dead on the rookeries, un- 

 less killed by accidents of some kind, are never of the plump and well- 

 nourished looking order, but are generally lean and thin, bearing all the 

 external signs of neglect and starvation. 



Of the lungs, liver, heart, and testicles of the male fur-seal, which I 

 have observed, thereis nothing peculiar about them. The penis is charac- 

 teristic of the class to wiiich the fur-seal belongs. The brain, 'heart, 

 liver, and kidneys make very good eating, and taste about the same 

 as those of other animals. The meat, however, which must be entirely 

 freed from all its blubber or fat, though quite nutritious and palatable, 

 is somewhat soft, of a dark color, and reminds one, according to how 

 it is cooked, of wild duck, venison, etc., only it must never be eaten rare, 



