The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1884-07-11
The Seal Life of the Alaska Waters.


Through the courtesy of Mr. Sloss, Of
the Alaska Commercial Company, we
have been able to examine Prof. Henry
w. Elliott's observations on the life his
tory of the seal and sea-lion of Alaskan
waters. Prof. Elliott tells us that the
fur-seals which repair to the islands Of
st. Paul and st. George, of the Prihyloy
| group, are in numbers almost fabulous.
| They 90 to land to shed fur and hair
and to breed. The seal life of that re-
g;on is classified under the head of fur
seal, sea-lion, the hair-seal and the
walrus. OF the true fur-seal, the Pro-
fessor goes so far as to say that there Isl
no other animal known to man supe-
rior to this from a purely physical point
of view, and few creatures exhibit so
high an order of instinct, approaching
even to intelligence. A male is in his
prime at six or seven years, measures
81 to 73 feet in length, and weighs at
least 400 pounds, some reaching 600
pounds. The comparatively small head
is almost all occupied by the brain, the
large blush hazel eyes alternately burn
with revengeful, passionate light, them
suddenly change to the tones Of tender
ness and good nature. When it seeks
the land it is in its latest condition In
from six weeks to three months the
superhuous fat is consumed by self-ab- |
sorption, and the bones show under the
shrunken skin. 1t does not seek the
place of its birth, but aims for land
without regard to special location.
The seal-weather is 1.-THE foggy,
humid, oozy damp of summer"
and about the LIST of June the
males select their positions, after the
most extraordinarily brutal contests
which man can witness. The females.
arrive a few weeks later. The body Isl
covered with two coats, the short, crisp
Overhair concealing the soft, elastic
fur. In contrast with that of the males
the behavior of the females is described
as of Exceeding peace and doye-likeI
amiability." The females are four to
four and half ieet long. and morei
shapely than the males. They do not
have protracted fasts like vEe males,
and have no great masses of blbbber 20
sustain fasting. Soon after they give
birth they leave their young on the
ground and go to sea for food, retarn-l
ing perhaps next day. or not for several
days, in the meantime speeding to dis
tant fishing banks to satiate their hun
ger The head and 5eyes are exceed
ingly beautiful; the expression is really
attractive, gentle and intelligent. Tbs
large, lustrous, blue-black eyes are hui
mid and soft with the tenderest express
sion, while the small, well-formed head
is poised as gracefully on her neck az
can well be imagined. She is the very
picture of benignity and satisfaction
when she is perchedi upon some con-
venient rock and has an opportunity
to quietly fan herself, the eyes half
closed, and the head thrown back on
her gently-swelling shoulders. Prof.
Elliott declares that he never saw any
driving of the young pups into the
water by the old ones. in order to teach
them to swim, as certain authors have
positively affirmed. The pups blunder
into the water awkwardly, and become
the most expert swimmers only after
many discomftureS. San francisco
Bulletin.