ALASKA. 137 



slight shifting of the flippers; quivering and uneasy rolling of 

 the body, accompanied by a quick folding anew of the fore 

 flippers, which are signs, as it were, of their having uight- 

 mares, or sporting, perhaps, in a visionary way, far off in some 

 dream-land sea; or disturbed, perhaps more probably, by their 

 intestinal parasites. I have studied hundreds of all classes, 

 stealing softly up so closely that I could lay my hand on them, 

 and have always found the sleep to be of this nervous descrip- 

 tion. The respiration is short and rapid, but with no breath- 

 ing (unless yoUr ear is brought very close) or snoring sound; 

 the heaving of the flanks only indicates the action. I have 

 frequently thought that I had succeeded in finding a snoring 

 seal, especially among the pups, but a close examination always 

 gave some abnormal reason for it, generally a slight distemper, 

 by which the nostrils were stopped up to a greater or less 

 degree. 



As I have said before, the cows, soon after landing, are de- 

 livered of their young. 



Immediately after the birth of the pup, (twins are rare, if 

 ever,) it finds its voice, a weak, husky hlaat, and begins to pad- 

 dle about, with eyes wide open, in a confused sort ot way for a 

 few minutes until the mother is ready to give it attention, and, 

 still later, suckle it; and for this purpose she is provided with 

 four small, brown nipples, placed about eight inches apart, 

 lengthwise with the body, on the abdomen, between the fore 

 and hinder flippers, with some four inches of space between 

 them transversely. The nipples are not usually visible ; only 

 seen through the hair and fur. The milk is abundant, rich, 

 and creamy. The pups nurse very heartily, gorging them- 

 selves. , 



The pup at birth, and for the next three months, is of a jet- 

 black color, hair, eyes, and flippers, save a tiny white patch 

 just back of each fore foot, and weighs from 3 to 4 pounds, and 

 12 to 14 inches long ; it does not seem to nurse more than once 

 every two or three days, but in this I am most likely mistaken, 

 for they may have received attention from the mother in the 

 night or other times in the day when I was unable to watch 

 them. 



The apathy with which the young are treated by the old on 

 the breeding-grounds is somewhat strange. I have never seen 

 a cow caress or fondle her ofi'spring, and should it stray but a 

 short distance from the harem, it can be picked up aud killed 



