164 TESTIMONY 



The fur-seal only lands n])oii tlie Pribilof Group of islands. Of tliis 

 fa(;t I am tlioronjulilv convinced from caiefully qnes- 

 iioVMandi.^"''^'""'' tioninji- natives of Alaska and the Aleutian Islands, 

 and also from my coasting experience as purser on 

 board tlie Gonstantinv. In all the years I passed iu these localities I 

 never heard of a seal landiug anywhere except on the Pribilof Islands. 

 This seal herd is migratory, leaving the islands iu the fall or early 

 winter aud returning again the following spring; and 

 Migration. it is uiy opiuiou tluxt tlic adult males, called "bulls," 



returu as near as they are able to the same place on 

 the same rookery year after year. In fact the natives pointed out to 

 me one old bull who had returned to the same rock for five years 

 successively. 

 The reason the seals have chosen these islands for their home is be- 

 cause the Pribilof Group lies in a belt of fog, oc(?a- 

 tbTiskindf ^" '*'"''*'*' sioned by the waters of the Arctic Ocean coming down 

 from the north and the warmer waters of the Pacific 

 flowing north and meeting at about this point in Bering Sea. It is 

 necessary that the seals should have a misty or foggy atmosphere of 

 this kind while on land, as sunshine has a very injurious effect upon 

 them. Then too, the islands are so isolated that the seal, which is a 

 very timid 'animal, remains here undisturbed, as every precaution is 

 taken not to disturb the animals while they are on the rookeries. The 

 mean temperature of the islands is during the winter 

 Temperature. ^^^^^^ 2(io F., aud lu Summer about 43°. I know of no 



other locality which possesses these peculiarities of moisture and tem- 

 perature. The grounds occupied by the seals for breeding purposes are 

 along the coast, extending from high-water mark back to the cliffs, 

 which abound on St. George Island. The young males or "bachelors," 

 not being allowed to land on these breeding places, lie 

 nauhng -voiuu -K. |^.^^], ^f ^^^^ arouud these breeding grounds on areas 

 designated "hauling grounds." 

 A young seal or "pup" when first born weights from G to 8 pounds, 

 is almost black in color, and is coveretl with a short 

 ^"'"' hair, Avhich changes to silver gray hair Avhen the pup 



learns to swim. 



The place of birth is on the breeding grounds, which takes place soon 



after the female lands, generally within two days. When first born a 



pui) can not swim, and does not learn so to do until it is six or eight 



weeks of age. It is therefore utterly impossible for a \n\\^ to be born 



in the water and live. I have noticed that when a pui> 



idl-ibh'' '""' "" '^^ ^^'^^ '^8'^ ^^ 1^^^^' ^" ^^^^ Avater it seemed to have no 

 '"^ " ' idea of the use of its flijipcrs, and was very nuicli ter- 



rified. A pup is certainly for the first six or eight weeks of its liiJe a 



land animal, and is in no sense amphibious. During 

 aiinihUiiou " ^"^''^ °"* this period also a pup moves very much like a young 



kitten,usingits hind fli])])ers as feet. Amother seal will 

 at once recognize her i)up by its cry, hobbling over a thousand bleating 

 l)n|)s to reach her own, and every other api)roacliing her save this one 

 little animal she will drive away. From this fact it is my opinion that 



if a pup lost its mother by any accident it would cer- 

 starv!!ih)n'''''""''' "' taiuly dic of staivation, for it Avould not be allowed to 



derive nourishment from any other female. A pup, 

 however, seems not to distinguish its mother from the other females 

 about it. When six or eight weeks of age the «lder seals, generally the 

 mothers, force the young seals into the water and teach them to swim. 



