64 THE FUR SEALS OF THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS. 



until some time in August, few appearing on the hauling grounds before the 10th, 

 while they are not numerous until toward the end of the month. They certainly fast 

 from two to three months, and then, instead of going to sea to feed, haul out on some 

 sandy spot and take a nap of a week or ten days. Even at the end of the long fast 

 the bulls are fatter than one would expect, as was shown by the condition of two 

 killed on August -J6. Some differences of opinion exist concerning the bachelors, 

 some thinking that they fast during a great part of the summer, others believing that 

 they eat frequently during their stay at the islands. The truth probably lies some- 

 where between these two extremes, and my own belief is that while the bachelors 

 feed occasionally, they by no means feed so often as the females. The bachelors are 

 noticeably numerous on the hauling grounds during July and a considerable part of 

 August, and it is not until after the middle of August that their numbers thin out 

 decidedly. This would indicate that they are not absent from the islands, but, on 

 the other hand, we know that seals are coming and going on the hauling grounds, 

 or it would not be possible to obtain several lots of killable seals from one locality. 



That the stomachs of the bachelors examined on the killing grounds are almost 

 invariably empty, save for the jjresence of pebbles or very rarely of traces of fish or 

 squid, is negative evidence, as it might be construed to mean either that the seals 

 were not feeding or that they had digested their food before coming on land. What 

 little evidence there is, however, seems to sustain the latter supposition, although also 

 indicating that bachelors feed but seldom in July. Of the hundred stomachs opened 

 by Professor Thompson and jiiyself in the various killing grounds between July 15 

 aiul August 7 not one contained a trace of food, and not over four or five contained 

 any pebbles. 



In 1895 Mr. True examined the stomachs of over two hundred bachelors and in 

 only one si)cciraeu found fish bones, these being much decomposed, indicating that 

 they had been swallowed some time before. Another stomach contained shells and 

 pebbles, and a third a few i)ebbles only. 



Of 118 specimens examined by Dr. Merriam on August 1 and 3, 1891, 93 were 

 empty and 20 contained pebbles or beach-worn shells. Four contained beaks of squids, 

 2 bones of a cod,' and 1 a large Isopod crustacean. Thus only 7 stomachs out oi 

 over 400 contained any trace of food, certainly a very small ])roportion. 



Since we neither know how often a fur seal eats, nor how much lie averages for a 

 meal, all so-called " estimates " of the amount of fish eaten must be considered as 

 pure guesswork, the more that we do not have even the unsatisfactory data derived 

 from seals kept in captivity to aid us in comparison. I am told by Mr. W. A. Conklin 

 that California sea lions {Zalophus californianus), averaging 150 i)ounds each, keep fat 

 and sleek on 7A pounds of fish per diem, although they would, if permitted, eat 10 

 pounds. These figures, however, throw little light on tiic pr()l)lem, not only because 

 the sea lions were living in captivity and under artificial conditions, but because we 

 know that fur seals feed intermittently and there is nothing to show whetlier or not 

 they eat enough when they feed to make up for their fasts. 



Owing to the demands made upon them by the growing ]>ups, the nursing females 

 undoubtedly eat at much more frequent intervals than tlic other categories of seals^ 

 being forced to go to sea for food when the males are on or about the islands, and this 

 is cue of the reasons why the majority of seals taken by pelagic sealers are females. 



I venture to doubt this identification, b(!licving the bones to liave been those of ;i iiollock. 



