Evening star., 1896-12-01
THE SEALzQUESTION
A Valuable Contribution to Knowl-
edge on the Subject.
VIEWS OF FISH COMMISSIONER BRICE
interesting Description Of the Hab-
its Of the,, Animals.
ALTERNATIVES REMAINING
ALTERNATIVES REMAINING

Commander John J. Brice. U.s.N. United
States commissioner of fish and fisheries, /,
the author of some remarks on the move
ments and breeding grounds of the fur
seal, based on observations he made while
on the naval patrol ct Bering sea in 1SD;
which have just been made public. Com
mander Br1ce's contribution to the all
irnpor tant subject is regarded by those who
are interested in the consideration Of the
question as probably the most important so
far made, ard in his description OF the hab-
Its of the seal, as well as in his considera-
tion and conclusion of what shall be done
for their future protection, the pamphle'
will doubtless receive profound attention.
After reciting the terms Of the award of
the Bering sea tribunal, which Congress en-
acted into law April q. 1894. and the protec-
ton given the fur seal when absent from
its breeding grounds on the Pribilof Islands.
Commander Brice proceeds to tell an inter
estins story of the habits of the animal
The mgrations of the fur seal SO
regular. he says, and well marked that
they are easily taken advantage of by seal
erS, who know where the seal herd may be
looked for at any given time. The seal is
thus differently, and much more unfavor
ably, placed as regards natural protection
than are some other marine mammals that
are sought by man, the whales. porpoiSeS
and sea otter, for instance, whose move
ments are either irregular or not fully un-
derstood by the hunters.
The movements Of pelag!c animals are
Influenced to very great extent by the
temperature of the water in which they ex-
ist. The migratory instinct. whether lead
ing them to feeding grounds or to breeding
grounds, appears to be dominated by the
water Temperature In the case of oceanic
fishes like the cod and mackerel, and Of
anadromous fishes like the salmon and
shad, the determination of the time and
NJ hair mic Inv ha
water temperature is well recognized. This
same influence is not less strikingly exem-
pified i'll the extensive mgrations of the
Alaskan fur seal, which cover diagonally
q, dec 'ees Of latitude and following the
route of the herds, embrace distance of
over $500 miles. which is traVersed when
the seals are bound north to their breeding
grounds in Bering sea and again when they
seek the coast of the United States after
the breeding season.
Seals Are Not Intelligent.
The fur seal. although usually described
as having almost human intelligence. is
really 4 rather stupid animal, whose repu-
tation for intelligence is based largely upon
appearances Especially it's soft. beautiful
eyes which appeal to one in their apparent
ilnocence) ana upon the cleverness display
ed in finding its way over immense dis
tances in the ocean. Great stress has been
laid on the latter faculty. which has been
matter of more or less speculation. In this
and most other movements, however. the
fur seal is very largely governed by the
temperature of the water. and is controlled
by circumstances rather than guided 10y in
telligence, as 1t requires but little mental
capacity to carry out the laws that nature
has provided for it by which it finds its way
to d.stan: points in the ocean. When COM
pared with the subtle instinct displayed by
many species of migratory birds their
way to and from the same regions resorted
to by the fur seal. the movements of tine
latter COnmOnDlapI Combined
with the directing influence of the tempera-
ture OF the water is the wonderful rapidity
of action which enables the animal to cover
with little effort vast area Of ocean in
remarkably short time.
THE lonely and remote Islands of ST.
Paul and st. George are admirably adapted
for the breeding purposes of the fur seal.
and are the only islands in the eastern part
of Bering sea or the North Pacific ocean
suited to the requirements of this animal.
Owing to the stupidity OF the seals they are
almost 9efenseless when shore. and
many wolld fall an easy prey X the islands
were infested with predatory mammals or
birds. while their timid!ty would probably
cause the eventual aband donment of the
islands IL while on the rookeries. they were
liable to the sights and sounds of modern
civilization.
"The seals leave the rookeries in the fall
and are driven out of Bering by the de-
creas.ny temperature of the water as Win
ter approaches. They then seek the more
genial waters off Vancouver and Califor-
MA. On Withdrawing from BeFtnS sea- tney
follow its current south through the passes
in the Aleutian Islands and then meet with
the Japan current, which leads them to the
coast of Alaska, where there is an abun-
dance Of food. Thence they follow the cold
current down the coast to Vancouver, off
which land the old male seals remain and
disperse over the adjacent ocean. having
found temperature suited TO their condi-
tion in a region well stocked with fish food
Male and Female Seals.
"The old male seal is six or eight times
larger than the female, and. having a
superabundance of fat. requires lower
temperature of water in which to live than
do the female and young male seals. This
fact accounts for the separation of the old
males from the rest of the herd. The fe-
males and small seals of both sexes con-
tinue their southwark movement in the
cold Humboldt current off the coast of Cal
ifornia, where, having found the slightly
higher water temperature adapted to their
needs. they d.sperse over the ocean in
search of food.
1.-The same laws govern the seals on their
way to the breeding grounds, combined
| with the strongest instincts in all animals
propagation and care of the young. In
spring the old males are the first to become
uneasy under the increasing temperature of
the water, which has risen from about 42'
Fahrenheit early in February to 500 late in
April. tie normal temperature sought by
the seals being between 40' and 46'. To
they start toward the north (the only direc-
tion in which this object can be attained).
and. guided by the cold stream which flows
along the coast of Alaska and Vancouver
they are led in the direction of the rook-
cries.
"The course of the seal herd to the Prib-
ilof Islands, by the cold currents which
flow from that direction through the passes
in the Aleutian chain, is only interrupted
near the 'Fairweather Ground off Stka
where the influence Of the warm water of
the Japan current causes some confusion
in the progress of the seals. This region is
much resorted to by the pelagic hunters
and is vast slaughtering ground. Off
Stka large portions or the herd are often
found. in their bewilderment, heading in
various ways, and sometimes they make
considerable progress in the direction from
which they have come; but finally the seals
get within the influence of the cold stream
in the vicinity of Kad!ak and then, through
the passes in the islands. they enter Bering
sea and are virtually on the breeding
grounds.
"The females and y6Tng males are inf1u-
enced in their northefns movements by the
same conditions which affect the old males
The females, however on account of their
being with young, make slower progress
than the others. and are easily approached
and killed when fatigue compels them to
rest at the surface of the water. The pres
ence of food off the coast and estuaries of
the rivers also affects in some degree the
course Of the seals.