1884] Residence of the Harp Seal in the St. Lawrence. 1227 
THE HARP SEAL A PERMANENT RESIDENT IN 
i THE ST. LAWRENCE. 
BY C. HART MERRIAM, M.D. 
HE harp seal (Phoca grænlandica) is a circumpolar species 
abounding in the northern seas at certain times of the year 
and coming south in winter as far as the Grand Banks of the 
North Atlantic. 
It is an off-shore species, living in the open sea or among the 
ice, and rarely approaches land excepting for the procurement of 
food under certain special circumstances hereinafter detailed. I am 
not aware that it ever crawls upon rocky ledges, or even sand bars, 
as does the harbor seal (Phoca vitulina) and several other species. 
During the season of bringing forth and caring for its young, 
which occupies nearly two months (usually from the middle or. 
latter part of February till the middle of April), vast multitudes 
of harp seals congregate on the ice fields around Jan Mayen 
island, and on the drifting floes to the north and east of New- 
foundland. The fact is also well known that large numbers reg- 
ularly whelp on the ice in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, but these 
are supposed to be a branch of the main herd which has passed 
_ Southward through the Straits of Belleisle, while the main body 
_ passed to the eastward of Newfoundland. On this point Mr. J. 
A. Allen, in his excellent monograph of the Pinnipeds, observes : 
_ “Their passage southward along the Labrador coast occurs be- 
: fore the ice forms, and during this journey they are said to hug 
_ the shore’ and freely enter the gulfs and bays. They appear 
i first in small detachments of half a dozen to a score or more in 
: dividuals ; these are soon followed by larger companies, which 
: crease in frequency and numbers ; 
_ Continuous procession, filling the sea as far as t 
- Floating with the arctic current, their progress 1 
: and in one short week the whole multitude 
’ at the Straits of Belleisle, the great body 
> but Many enter the straits and pass roun 
: Newfoundland ; some, however, spend the w 
Lawrence, where they bring forth their young ohèr 
"ge (pp. 642-643). But neither this author nor any " in 
Writer, so far as I am aware, has intimated that the = 
Question might be found in any part of the St. Lawrence ter 
