44 
are whitish lemon-yellow tinged pale grey. The face is grey, as is also a 
spot on the crown. The inside of the flippers is grey. The iris is brown. 
Constable F. Fielder, R.C.M.P., states that he saw “whitecoats” caught 
on March 10 at Bon Accord, a somewhat early date. Hundreds of the 
young are killed by the Eskimo of Cumberland sound, during the latter 
part of March and all April. Corporal F. Mclnnes states that at Ponds 
inlet, in 1925, the first young seal was caught on March 28; it is assumed 
the seal was of this species. 
Kumlien (1879, pp. 57-58) says: 
“The first young found in the upper Cumberland waters was during the early days of 
March; still I have taken a foetus from the mother in the middle of April. The most 
profitable time for hunting the young seal is during the month of April; after this date 
they have shed so much that the skins are nearly worthless till the hispid hair has got 
to be of the proper length, when they are considered as the prime article, and second only 
to the young of Callocephcdus vitulinus [Phoca iritidina concolor j in quality. The first young 
one I procured that had begun to shed was April 15. I have seen examples that were 
nearly or quite destitute of the white coat, but still not having the next coat in sight. Such 
specimens on close examination will be found to have a very fine coat of the new hair, 
but so short as not to be perceptible except on close examination, still showing the exact 
location and distribution of the dark and light markings; the skin at this time is very 
black, and often much scratched up, probably by the mother in trying to make the young 
one shift for itself. I often examined the stomachs of young as well as adults, but still 
after they had begun shedding the white coat, and were, in all probability, 25 to 30 days 
old, I found nothing but the mother's milk. After they begin to shift for themselves, their 
food, for a time, at least, consists of Gammari of different species. 
Before the young sned the white coat, they are from 23 to 36 inches from the nose 
to the end of flippers; the average the season through, from a good series of measurements, 
was about 30 inches. They are very variable in colour, some are pure white; others very 
white on the lower parts, but more or less dusky on the back; others again area fine straw- 
yellow, with the same dusky variation as the white ones. The yellow is also variable 
in the intensity of shade. Rarely some are found that are dusky all over, especially on 
the head and back; these are generally small and scrawny individuals. The hair is also 
quite as variable in texture as in colour. In some it is fine, long, and woolly (mostly in 
the pure white examples). In others it is straight or w r avy, while some have short and 
quite hispid hair. They weigh at birth from 4 to 6| pounds, but grow at an astounding 
rate, becoming exceedingly fat in a few days The season for hunting the young 
at latitude 67 degrees north begins about the middle of March and continues until the 
latter part of April. The first two weeks of April are the most productive, as later the 
hair is apt to be very loose, and many even have large bare patches on them." 
Hantzsch (1913, p. 157) remarks that by the middle of May, 1910, 
the young had cast their first coat and had acquired a pelage quite similar 
to the old, rather long haired with almost black spots. That year, 1910, 
Hantzsch saw very few young seal in Cumberland Sound region. 
Two embryos (Nos. 6741 and 6742) of hispida were secured October 
20, 1925, at Pangnirtung; one was 5 inches long, the other 7 inches. They 
were pink and hairless. Another (No. 6738) was taken on December 31 
and was 16 inches long and had very short hair. From January 1 onwards, 
numerous foetuses were collected. A considerable variation existed in the 
sizes irrespective of the dates of collection. 
As spring approaches and the daily temperature rises, the seals enlarge 
the breathing-holes and come out onto the ice to sleep and sun themselves. 
Seals following this custom were first observed in 1926, on March 29, in 
Nettilling fiord. Some years, it is said, they appear on the ice earlier than 
this date. Such seals are designated by the Eskimo as “ootuk”. They 
are comparatively easily captured by the Eskimo who, keeping behind a 
white cotton screen, crawl towards them as they sleep, until within 40 
or 50 yards and then shoot them in the head killing them instantly. Many 
“ootuks” were seen during late April, 1925, in Nettilling fiord. 
