6 TilE FUR SEALS OF THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS. 



size usually seen iu mammals. Young pups measured between August 8 and August 

 20 were from 2;> to 28 inclies long, the males being as a rule tbe larger. It will be 

 noticed that some of tbe measurements, as well as tbe weigbt of tbe gray pup, exceed 

 tbose of tbe yearling, and it bas already been pointed out by Elliott tbat tbe young 

 gain little or notbing in weigbt between tbe time tbey leave in tbe fall and return in 

 the following summer. 



Except iu lengtb tbe 4-year-old female may be considered as a good average 

 example of a full-sized cow; tbe majority of females obtained from tbe sealers were 

 sligbtly under 4 feet in length, two or three specimens wbicb seemed to be far above 

 tbe average proving, when measured, to be oidy 4 feet 1 inch long from tip of nose to 

 root of tail. Tbe very largest female taken was 51 inches long, 33 inches around tbe 

 shoulders, and weighed 73 pounds, so tbat 80 pounds nmy be looked upon as an 

 exceptional weigbt tor a cow. 



Tbe males from 1 to 5 years old are good examples of their respective ages, tbe 

 measurements of the 3-year-old specimen coinciding with tbose of a similar animal 

 selected by Mr. Kedpath as a typical specimen for tbe United States National 

 Museum. 



Tbe 7 or year-old male is a good example of the males just below the grade of 

 rookery bulls, being full grown, in some particulars, but lacking just a little of tbe 

 muscular development necessary to enable him to enter tbe rookery and hold bis owu 

 against tbe older animals. It will be noticed that in girth tbe younger male exceeds 

 tbe others, but this is due to tbe fact tbat the old bulls having passed two months iu 

 fasting and fighting bad, in consequence, lost much of their fat and some of their 

 tlesb. Tbe fore Hipper of this young bull was exceptionally short, tbe Hippers of tbat 

 class measuring ordinarily 20 to 21 inches in length. As a rule, the size of the fore 

 Hipper is a fairly good indication of the age of tbe animal since it increases in lengtb 

 with age in a fairly regular manner, tbe tlippers of the males also exceeding tbose of 

 tbe females in size. 



Tbe larger of tbe two bulls was one selected for the United States National 

 Museum, on account of its size, being tbe largest of forty killed, and 80 to 82 inches 

 may be held as representing tbe extreme length attained by the bulls, tbe average 

 being 72. As these bulls bad recently come oft" tbe rookeries, tbey were lean, and tbeir 

 girth was by no means what it would have been at the time of their arrival in May or 

 June. Their measurements indicate to some extent tbe variations in size and projior- 

 tions found among seals since tbe older bull was tbe shorter of the two, altbougb iu 

 other ways nearly as bulky as tbe younger animal, while the Hipper of tbe shorter 

 specimen was an inch and a half longer than that of tbe other. It was not possible 

 to weigh tbe large bulls, but in tbeir lean condition tbey certainly did not weigh over 

 250 pounds, and it is doubtful if, even at bis best, tbe bull weighs more tban 400 

 pounds. 



Dr. Stejneger bas spoken of tbe difficulty of drawing any line between tbe seals 

 of various ages, stating tbat no one on tbe killing grounds of tbe Commander Islands 

 was able to point out tbe differences between them. While this difficulty does exist, 

 yet there are, aside from mere size, distinction between the teeth, lengtb of Hippers, 

 color of mustache bristles, and lengtb of wig of tbe seals of various ages which are veiy 

 perceptible to any one who bas noted them long and carefully. Personally, I am 

 unable to differentiate the seals to any great extent, altbougb the ditbculty was less 



