The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1897-07-12
----------------
HABITS OF SEALS.

The seals of Ano Nuevo Island are
practically unknown to both scientists
and the public, Notwithstanding the fact
that the herds are the largest on the
Pacific Coast and the habits of the
species are the most distinctive. Ano
Nuevo Island is cut off from the main
land by channel about mile wide,
and the only way to cross is in the
boat of the keepers Of the government
fog signal The seal rocks are scattered
to the northward Of the island, the
closest being only about 500 feet away.
Keeper Butwell of the fog signal has
watched the herds constantly at all
seasons for a period of eight years, and
| the location Of the rocks, lying as they
do so close to the island, makes the
seals actions as easily observable as
| If they We're on the stage of a theatre.
! Years ago" said Mr.. Butwell there
used to be tens of thousands of seals
on these rocks, and the killing of them
was a profitable industry. The hides
were used for betting and sold for a
| good price. In those days the rocks
We're leased to hunters. and the killing
went on at a rapid rate OF course the
seals rapidly diminished In numbers, as
males. females and pups were killed in
discriminatory. When I came here eight
years ago all this had stopped. No hum
tiers were allowed on the rocks, and
1t would seem at ii the herds should
have again multiplied; but they didn't.
For four years they kept getting fewer,
until there were hardly 800 left.
| About this time l began to study the
cause of the decrease. From this
point here on the island ] can look
across to the rocks, and by taking
glass can bring the seals up very
close I had previously noticed that
some of the bulls had habit of kill
ing the young, but had no idea the evil
was so general as found it to be on in
vestigation. One morning / saw GER
tain bull climb on the rocks and kill
about half-a-dozen pups Others did the
same SO it was soon apparent to me
that the bulls were largely responsible
for the decrease of the herds.
| After becoming convinced that a
number Of vicious bulls did all the mis-
chief began a systematic killing of
them. / used to go over the rocks and
lie In wait. Whenever I caught an old
fellow in the act of killing a pup 1 put
a bullet through his head. The first
season 1 killed about fifty and saved
many hundred pups, SO that the second
year the herds began to increase, and
this year are larger than they nave
| been since l commenced my extermlna-
| ton of the vicious bulls.
| 1.-THE habits of these seals are most
peculiar and mysterious. After the pups
are born on the rocks the cows spend
two or three months teaching them TO
swim and then when the time comes
take them to sea somewhere and leave
them. The young seals do not return
to the place of their birth until they
are two years old, but where they spend
the interval IS a mystery. So you see
it took two years to tell whether the
killing of the vicious bulls did any good
or not. But I am satisfied that 1t did.
At any rate the seals are increasing at
a fair rate, and in a few years, WITH
proper nursing, l think they will be as
numerous as ever.
But really, when we look at II III
the right way, there is no reason why
the seals should be preserved. 1t is pur-
ely a matter of sentiment. One full-
grown seal will destroy enough fish IN
week 10 feed a good-sized town for
month, and the damage done by the
lherd is beyond conception. Seals are