The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1872-09-05
The Fur Seal.

The Fur Seal.
The male fur seal does not attain mature
size until about the sixth year He then
measures in total length from seven to
clTht feet, and six to seven in girth His
color Is then dark brown. with gray over
HAIR on the neck and shoulders. When in
full flesh his weight varies from five to
seven hundred pounds. These aud no
others occupy the rookeries Cor breeding
@rnunds) with the females
A full grown female measures four feet
in length and two and a half round the
body, and differs from the male in form
hy having n somewhat longer head, short
er neck and a greater FITNESS of body pos
teriorlv She usually weighs from eighty
10 4 hundred pounds. Her color when
She first leaves the water, is dark steel
MIXED on the back, the sides and breast
being white, hut she gradually changes
somewhat, and in eight or ten DAYS after
landing becomes dark brown on the back
and bright orange ont the breast. sides and
throat Hence, if is easy to distinguish
those that have Just arrived from those
that have been several days on the shore
The female breeds the third year, and is
full grown at four years.
The ycarlings weigh from forty to fifty
pounds. and are dark brown. with a light
shade on the throat and breast. The ages
OF those between one and six years are
easily distinguished by the differences in
SIZE and state of development of the ami
mails
The breeding rookeries, which are fire.
quented exclusively by the old males and
females with their pups, occupy the belt
OF loose rocks along the shores between
the high water line and the base of the
cliffs or uplands, and vary in width from
tive to forty rods. The sand beaches are
used only as temporary resting places and
lor play grounds by the younger seals,
these beaches being neutral ground where
the old and intirm or the wounded may
lie undisturbed
Wherever a long continuous shore llne
IS occupied as breeding rookerv, neutral
passes are set apart at convenient dis
tances, through which the younger seals
may pass from the water to the upland
and return unmoested. Often a continu-
Gus line, moving in a single file. NAV be
seen for hours together going from the
water to the upland, or the reverse. as the
case may be. When suddenly disturbed
while sleeping on the upland by an at
tempt OF an animal to cross the rookerv
Al any other place, general engagement
ensues, which often results in the death or
serious GRIPPING OF the cOmbatants. AZ
ter the females have arrived at the rock
cries, many OF them, as well as their pups
are trampled to death in these struggles.
Constant care is also very necessary lest
ia. .l,tf
ihouShtleSS persons lncautiouslv approach
the breeding grounds, as the stampede Of
the seals resulting therefrom, always de-
stroys many OF the young.
The Old males are denominated by the
natives "Seacutch" (married seals These
welcome the females on their arrival and
watch over and protect them and their
young until the latter are large enough to
he lett to the care OF their mothers and
the younger males.
by the first to the middle of April the
snow has melted from the shores and the
dftt ice from the north has all passed.
Soon after this period few old veteran
male seals make their appearance in the
water near the island, and after two or
three days reconnaissance venture on the
shore and examine the rookeries, carefully
smelling them. If the examination is
satisfactory, after day or two a few
climb the slopes and lie with their heads
erect, listening. At this time if the wind
blows from the village toward the rock
cries, all fires are eXtingnished and all
unnecessary noise avoided These scouts
then depart and in few DAYS after a
small number of male seals of all apes
begin to arrive. The old patriarchs soon
take their places on the rookeries and
prevent the younger males from landing
They thus compel them to stay in the
water or to 90 to the upland above.
In locating, each old male reserves a
little more than square rod of space ia
himself. For this proceeding they evi-
IDENTIFY nave two reasons. First, from the
constant liability to surprise from theil
rear. which Is their weakest points they
require room enough to make one leap in
turning before being able to defend them.
selves or to attack their enemies. Thei,
eyes being adapted to seeing in the water
their vision is feeble when out of that
element. Consequently they have to RELY
mainly on the sense of hearing and smell
for warning of danger; hence, while doz
ing on the rocks every movement in their
vicinity keeps them constantly turning
towards the direction from which it pro
ceeds. A second reason is that each re-
quires that amount of space for the re
ception of ten or fifteen wives.
Male seals continue to arrive in small
numbers daily, a few OF which are year
lings; those two, three, four, and five
years old arrive in about equal proper.
tons. Those older than this are more
numerous than the other, each one OF
which fights his way to his old place or
the rookery, or, taking new one. pre-
pares to contend for it in case the owner
comes to take it. AS they acknowledge
no right but that of might, the latter
conner has to select again. The growing
and fighting are constant, so that day and
night the aggregated sound is like that
of an approaching railway train.
About the 18th of June the males have
all assembled, the ground being then fully
occupied by them, as they lie waiting fol-
the females to come. They appear ir
small numbers at first, but increase as the
season advances till the middle of july,
when the rookeries are all full, the females
often overlapping each other.
The bachelor seal swims all day
along the shore, escorting and driving the
females on to the rocks as fast as they ar.
rive. AS soon as female reaches the