THE HOODED SEAL: HABITS. 71 



in a small creek that empties into Long Island Sound at East Chester, about fifteen miles from 

 New York City. Twenty years ' later he refers to this as the first and only known instance of its 

 occurrence within the limits of the State of New York, where, he says, " it can only be regarded 

 as a rare and accidental visitor." Professor Cope, however, has recorded its capture in the Chesa- 

 peake Bay, where he says it has twice occurred.^ Tbe first specimen was recorded in 1805^ as 

 " some species of Cystophora, taken near Cambridge, Maryland, on an arm of the Chesapeake Bay, 

 eighteen miles from salt water, by Mr. Daniel M. Henry." The specimen, it is said, " measured 

 C| feet, and weighed, when living, about 330 lbs." Although Professor Cope adds, "Whether this 

 species is the G. cristata or antillarum, cannot be determined, owing to the imperfection of extant 

 descriptions," there is no reason for doubting that it was really the Crested Seal, a conclusion to 

 which Professor Cope seems to have later arrived. Although Gray's suggestion auent the English 

 specimen naturally arises, namely, transportation from the north in some ship, it seems more 

 probable that they were really wanderers from the usual home of the species. 



Habits. — As already noted in the account of the geographical distribution of this species, it is, 

 like the Harp Seal, pelagic and migratory, preferring the drift ice of the "high seas" to the vicinity 

 of land, and seems rarely if ever to resort to rocky islands or shores. It brings forth its young on 

 the ice, remote from the land, in March, a week or ten days later than the Harp Seal, with which 

 it appears only rarely to associate, although the two species are often found on neighboring ice- 

 floes. It is commonly described as the most courageous and combative of the Phocids, often 

 turniug fiercely upon its pursuers. 



The Hooded Seal is described as very active when in the water. It swims very low, with only 

 the top of the head above the surface. During the rutting season the males wage fierce battles for 

 the possession of the females, the noise of. which may be heard miles away. At times the sexes 

 are said to live apart, but associate in families during the breeding season. Their affection for 

 each other, and especially for their young, is represented as very strong, both parents remaining 

 by them wi h such persistency that the whole family are easily killed. 



Food. — The food of this species doubtless consists chiefly of fishes of different species. Malm- 

 gren supposed it to subsist mainly on those of large size. That it also feeds upon squids, and 

 probably on other mollusks, is evinced by their remains having been found in their stomachs, as 

 well as "the beaks of large cuttle-fish."* 



Hunting and products. — This species, owing to its scarcity, is of relatively small commer- 

 cial importance, yet manj"^ are taken every year by the Newfoundland and Jan Mayen sealers; 

 generally no separate estimates, however, are given of the number taken. Dr. Eink states that 

 the average annual catch in Greenland is 3,000. The flesh is greatly esteemed by the Greenlanders. 



The Hooded Seal is usually taken on the ice, but Mr. Reeks states that many are also shot in 

 the spring of the year by the settlers along the coast of Newfoundland. As already stated, the 

 hood of the male affords such a protection to its owner as to render the animal so provided very 

 hard to kill with the ordinary seal-club, or even with a heavy load of shot; and they are, further- 

 more, " at times very savage, and it requires great dexterity on the part of the seal-hunters to keep 

 from being bitten," 



1 



'New York Zoolagy, or tlie Fauua of New York, 1842, pt. i, p. 56. 



^New Topographical Atlas of Maryland, 1873, p. 16. 



'Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia, 1865, p. 273. 



■•Jukes: Excursions iu Newfoundland, vol. i, p. 312. 



