The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-10-07
THE FUR SEAL.
It's Habits and Breeding
Grounds.
HOW 1T is BEING KILLED.
An Interesting Talk With COM
mander j. j. Brice of
the Navy.
How 1T is BEING KILLED.

VALLEJO. Sept. 29-Commander j. j.
Brice. q. S. n. the commanding officer of
the United States snip Adams, has re-
turned 10 Mare Island. The Adams was
one of the Un;ted States men-of-war per-
forming patrol duty during the past few
months. and during that time cruised about
the sea and called in at the various islands
where seals are wont 10 go.
Commander Brice for several years was
attached to the United States Fish Com
fishery question have always been eagerly
sought after He has, of course. had much
to do in studying The habits and character
istics of fish and animals of the deep, none
of which have been more closely watched
and studied than the fur seal.
In conversation with re representative of
HE CALL to-day. Commander Brice gave
some very interesting Information con-
corning the habits of these animals and
their breeping-gfounds.
"The fur seal according to existing laws,
or the Boring Sea award" said he. ''are
protected from he 30th OF April until the
lst of August, and at all times within the
radius of sixty miles of the Prbyloff Isl
ands, Including the territorial limit; con-
sequently pelagic sealing can hereafter
only he carried on successfully during the
breeding season.
This practice occurs in the Bering Sea.
outside of the protected zone, during the
month of August, when the females are
captured on the way to and from the feed
fairgrounds.
1.-THE law also provides for their protsc-
lion hereafter, during the annual migra-
ton from the south to the rookeries for
breeding. which begins in April and end,
on the 31st day of July.
THE seal, although often described as
almost human in its intelligence, is very
stupid little animal, whose intal diligence Is
based upon appearances. especially its soft
beautiful eyes, which appeal to you in
their apparent Innocence, and the stress
placed upon their cleverneSS in finding the
way over immense distances in the ocean
has been a matter also of more or less
specula ion.
''Ia This and most other movements they
are governed by the temperature of the
water, and are the victim of circums tan ces
rather than intelligence, recurring but
little capacity to carry out the laws that
nature has provided for them by winch
they find their way to distant points in the
ocean. When compared with the instinct
exhibited in many species cf migratory
birds going to the same regions the move
ments OF the seal are mai ter of fact and
Influence Of the temperature of the water
in their movements Is the wonderful
rapidity of actin which ems bles them to
cover without effort vast area of observa-
ton.
1.-The seals leave the rookeries in the fall
and are driven out of the Boring Sea by
the decreasing temperature of the water as
winter approaches, seeking the more e. NAL
waters off Vancouver and the coast of
California.
ION leaving Boring Sea they follow its
current south through the passes into the
Aleuitan Islands, where they strike the
japan current, leading them to the coast
OF Alaska, where there is plenty of food !;
thence folio wing the cold current down
the coast TO Vancouver, off which land
the old male seals remain and Qisper> g
over the ocean and adjacent waters, h wing
found a temperature Suta bic to their con-
diilOD In locality stocked with abundance
OF Hsh food
"The ola male seal is six or eight times
larger than the females or Young bachelor
males and has superabundance of fat, re-
curing lower temperature of water 10
I've In than the female aud other small
seals. which accounts for their separ alton.
The females and smaller animals continue
the journey south in the cold stream off the
coast OF California flowing in southerly
direction. in which locality they also dis
perse over the ocean Tor food. having found
slightly higher temperature in this region
suitable also to their condition.
lie same laws govern them on their
way to the breedng-ground, combined
with the strongest instinct in ali animals,
that OF propagation aud care of their
young. In the spring the old males are