422 MR. R. BROWN ON THE SEALS OF GREENLAND. [JunC 25, 



and I have found that they were composed of the old males and 

 females and the bluebacks, which must have followed the old ones 

 in the north and formed a junction with them some time in June. 

 There is another opinion, that the old females remain and bring 

 their young with them north ; but all our facts are against such a 

 theory (JVallace). 



These migrations may vary with the temperature of the season, 

 and are influenced by it ; it is possible that in the Spitzbergen sea 

 as the winter approaches they keep in advance of it and retreat south- 

 ward to the hmit of perpetual ice, off the coast of Greenland, some- 

 where near Iceland, where they spend the winter. We are, however, 

 at a loss regarding the winter habits of these Seals in that region ; 

 here no one winters, and there are no inhabitants to note their mi- 

 grations and ways of life. Different is it, however, on the Greenland 

 shores of Davis's Strait, where in the Danish settlements the Seals 

 form, both with the Whites and Eskimo, the staple article of food 

 and commerce, and accordingly their habits and arrival are well known 

 and eagerly watched. The Atarsoak, as it is commonly called by 

 the Eskimo, the " Svartsidede Sselhund" (Black-sided Sealhound) 

 of the Danes, is the most common Seal in all South Greenland. It 

 is equally by this Seal that the Eskimo lives, and the " Kongl. 

 Gronlandske Handel" make their commerce. In South Greenland 

 when the Seal generally is talked of, or a good or bad year spoken 

 about, everybody thinks of this Seal ; on the other hand, in North 

 Greenland Pagomys foetidus and CaUocephalus vitulinus* are the most 

 common. These last two species are the only Seals which can be 

 properly said to have their home in Greenland, affecting ice-fjords and 

 rarely going far from the coast. This is not the case with P. grcen- 

 landicus; at certain times of the year they completely leave the coast; 

 therefore the Seal-hunting in South Greenland is more dependent 

 upon contingencies than in North Greenland. This Seal arrives re- 

 gularly in September in companies travelling from the south to north, 

 keeping among the islands ; occasionally at this time individuals de- 

 tach themselves from the drove and go up the inlets. The Seal at this 

 period is fatter, and continues so until the winter time. In October 

 and November is the great catching, lessening in December. Very 

 few are seen in January, and in February almost none ; but regularly 

 towards the end of May they return to the south of Greenland, and 

 in June further north. The Seal is at this time in very poor condi- 

 tion, and remains for the most part in the fjords. For the second 

 time they disappear in July, again to return regularly in September f. 

 It is therefore seen that this Seal regularly comes and goes tvrice a year. 



* I was always under the impression that this Seal was rather rare; but as the 

 return of its capture is not given separately from the former, it is impossible to 

 say accurately. 



t This varies a little with latitude &c. ; e. g. this Seal leaves the vicinity of 

 Jakobshavn ice-fjord about the middle of July or beginning of August, and comes 

 back in October very fat. In August and September there are none on that part 

 of the coast. 



