6S THE FUR SEALS OF THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS. 



small pebbles, the total weight of which was 62.299 grams (2.2 ounces). M. Grebnitski 

 has suggested that the pebbles are swallowed in catching eephalopods, but this is 

 evidently incorrect for several reasons. The sciuid preyed ni)on by the fur seal is a 

 deep-water species and does not cling to pebbles, being found near the surface; the 

 pebbles and beaks of squid are not found together, and the pebbles occur in the pups 

 who are eating nothing but milk. The most honest thing to say is that we really 

 don't know why seals swallow hard substances. 



From observations made by Mr. Clark during the season of 189G, he concludes 

 that seals remain in the water until the food in their stomachs is digested, and that 

 this accounts not only for the fact that seals taken on land are invariably empty, bnt 

 for the presence of the band of swimming seals in front of every rookery. It would 

 also explain why females are never seen to come directly in from the sea, but emerge 

 from the fringe of idle seals along the shore, although this seems rather due to indi- 

 rectness of character, since we never saw a seal going directly out to sea, although 

 constantly watching for it. 



Although excrement is always to be met with on rookeries and hauling grounds,' 

 it is by no means commensurate with the number of seals, while Mr. Clark in Septem- 

 ber and October noticed large (juantities of fecal matter strewn along the shore in 

 localities where the j)ui)s were sporting in the water". 



Bones of fishes or remains of squids are also very seldom found on land on the 

 Pribilofs, indicating that these, too, are rejected in the water, wliile they are mucli more 

 common on the Commander Islands where the feeding grounds are not so far from the 

 rookeries as on the American Islands. 



Although we know little of the fqod of the fur seal south of the Aleutian Islands, 

 something may be inferred from the character of its food in Bering Sea. Since the 

 seal feeds near the surface, none of the bottom haunting fislies such as the cod and 

 halibut, nor their enemies, can be intiuenced by it, except so far as their food sui)ply 

 may be affected by the destruction of pollock, and it is highly improbable that the 

 cod fishery of Bering Sea could have been in any way affected by the fur seal. Sur- 

 face-swimming species, like the sabnon, might ])Ossibly be destroyed in appreciable 

 numbers were the fur seal abundant, but as no previous effect has been reported, 

 although it is fair to say that no study of the subject was made in the past, the verdict 

 for the present must be — not i)roven. 



In regard to the bearing of the seals upon fisheries. Dr. Stejneger's remarks con- 

 .cerning Bering Island are very nuich to the point. He says:^ 



Three species of salmon (Oncorhynchus) abound in all the rivers on Boring Island and tlio fur 

 seals are not observed to feed upon them at the niontlm of these rivers; hut the fact that tlie 

 largest salmon river of the island, the Savanna River, is situated less than 7 miles from the. largest 

 rookery, witliont the se.ils coming over there to feed upon (he cMiormous niniibor of salmon ascending 

 that river, is ])r<)of conclusive. * ' » The annual catch in that river alone varies between 20,000 

 and 100,000 salimm. 



As for the (codfish, it, is only necessfliry to state that they are common right oil' the groat North 

 Rookery of Bering Island. On September 16, 189,5, wo were anchored in 10 fathoms of water, less than 

 a mile from Sivutchi Kamen, and within hearing of the roar from the rookery. A single cod line over 

 the side of the steamer for a couplo of hours brought up three-fourths of a barrel of codfisli. 



' That, as has been stated, anyone ever searched for excrement and did not liud it indicates very 

 poor powers of observation or of veracity. 

 '■'The Rnssian Fur Seal Islands, p. 70. 



