COUNTER-CASE OF GREAT BRITAIN. 91 



MR. H. W. ELLIOTT. 



In tliis particular connectiou, it may be of interest further 

 to quote Mr. H. W. Elliott, the United States Special 

 Ag'ent. His observations respecting the flsh-like and essen- 

 tially aquatic habit of the fur-seals are as follows: 



FISH-LIKE HABITS. 



They cAl swim rapidly, with tlie exception of the pups, and may be ihid., p. 45. 

 said to dart under the water with the velocity of a bird on the wing; 

 as they swim they are invariably submerged, running along horizon- 

 tally about 2 or 3 ieet below the surface, nuiding their course with the 

 hind flippers as by an oar, and jiropelling themselves solely by the 

 fore feet, rising to breathe at intervals which are either very frequent 

 or elso so wide apart that it is impossible to see the speeding animal 

 when he rises a second time. 



How long they can remain under water without taking a fresh 

 breath, is a problem which I had not the heart to solve, by insti- 

 tuting a series of experiments at the islands; but I am inclined to 

 think that, if the truth were known in regard to their ability of going 

 without rising to breathe, it would be considered astouud- 



105 ing All their movements in water, whether 



they are travelling to some objective point or are in sport, ai'e 



quick and joyous They sleep in the water a great 



deal, toe, more than is generally supposed, showing that they do not 

 come on land to rest — very clearly not. 



LENGTH OF RESORT TO BREEDING ISLANDS. 



In the Case of the United States very ambiguous and 

 even contradictory statements are made respecting the 

 length of time in each year during which the fur-seal re- 

 sorts to the land, a matter which it may be presumed is 

 rather an important one in relation to the claim made that 

 it is ''essentially a land animal." 



STATEMENTS IN UNITED STATES CASE QUESTIONED. 



It is stated in the Case of the United States that the ^ United states 

 period when the majority of the seals are on land is from 

 May to November inclusive. 



In the Report of the United States Commissioners it is 

 again stated that — 



The amphibious fur-seals are not only intermediate between the Ibid., pp. 321, 

 hair-seals and terrestrial carnivorous mammals in structure and means 322. 

 of locomotion, but also in habits, for they spend fully half their lives 

 on laud. 



It is elsewhere said that: — 



An examina,tion of'the table showing the annual killing of seals on rbld., pp. 122, 

 St. Paul Island for several years proves conclusively the presence of 123. 

 seals on the islands for at least eight months of the year, and that 

 they have, in fact, been killed there in CA'ery month of the year. 



FALLACIES UPON WHICH ERRONEOUS STATEMENTS BASED. 



The apparent object of tliese statements is to show that, 

 for the greater part of each year, the seals remain ashore 

 upon the breeding islands; but it is submitted that such 

 statements of a general kind are essentially misleading, and 

 this for several reasons. As in the case of ail migratory 



