The Saint Paul globe., 1900-03-18

seal life. The cows come ashore just In
time to give birth to their pups. Although
they will swim to the breeding grounds
from point perhaps 1900 miles away.
they will invariably Chamber on shore at
the roolSery within a day or two of the
time when the little black pups will come
into the world.
For three months the pups are jet
black (unlike the pups of the hair seal,
which are invariably White), save for
small white patches behind the arms,
They measure about twelve inches In
length and weigh four pounds. They are
regarded with great affection by the
cows.
EVERY MOTHER KNOWS HER OWN.
Soon after the birth of her pup-each
COW has one pup, and twins are un-
known-the COW sometimes sets off to
the sea on a fishing expedition, not re-
turning until a day or two later to settle
down to family life, and to rear her
young. She Immediately recognizes her
offsprings cry out of the thousands OF
voices. and singles out her pup from the
swarm with which 1t has been incorpor-
ated. The pups, 1t has been clearly
proved, do not at first know their own
mothers, but no mother will rear an
others pup.
The breeding season is at its height
from the 10th to the 18th of July every
year, and by August it is almost over.
Early in this month one OF the most
amusing and interesting events Of seal
life takes place. for 1t is the time when
the young seals make their first at
tempts at swimming.
Incredible as 1t may seem, 1t is new
ertheless a fact, that the seal pups, al
though the greater part of their future
life will be spent at sea, have no inclina-
uons toward the water until some weeks
have passed over their young heads. II
by any chance q baby seal should be
pushed into the water by his indignant
mother, or fall into the sea from pro-
jeeting rock, his head would probably
sink and he would soon be drowned. The
young seals teach themselves to swim.
and their first essays In the art are as
awkward as they are ludicrous.
LEARNING TO SWIM
In the course Of time their instinct leads
them to play in the surf. They smell the
water, pat 1t with their forefeet. founder
in the pools, and generally make small
progress for the first few days OF the
new experiment. AT last the pup makes
a brave effort, and launches out. A re-
ceding wave sweeps him off out of his
depth, and returning, lands him high and
dry on the shore. Here he will curl him.
self round and take recuperative nap,
before again essaytng, but henceforth his
progress will be more rapid, and soon the
surf will be dotted with thousands Of
little black forms swimming and sporting
In the waves.
Before the middle of September all the
pups will have thoroughly learned to
SWIM By this time the compactness OF
the rookeries has completely disappeared.
The old bulls, greatly emaciated by their
unceasing vigil, fasting and lighting. and
by the weight of family cares, have
struggled down to the sea and have de-
parted In a body. The pups leave their
mother soon after birth, and swarm to-
gether In countless numbers, swimming
off at their leisure to explore the great
sea world before them.
The young males are now free to wan
der at will. and the bulls who have not
succeeded In finding wives, as well as
the aged and tntirm, roam at large over
the once orderly rookeries.
The great seal season has ended. Until
1t begins again next year, the vast ex-
panse Of the Pacific ocean will be the
haunt of the seals, who have been known
to wander as far southWards as the
equator.
CRUEL FATE OF THE BACHELORS.
The bachelors must now be brought
into prominence, for, although they re-
ceive scant courtesy from the old bulls,
the part they play from the human stand
point Of view is all important.
It has been shown that the members of
the great herd of ''hollustiah,'' or bache-
lors, have never been allowed, on pain or
death, to place their slippers on the rook-
cries They are compelled to herd apart
by themselves. away from the breeding
grounds, and through the season, by day
hx-, ,.icrbt hoy 90 in cOna6S
on either side of the rookeries. On sew
eral "hauling grounds"-as the places
where the seals haul themselves from
the sea are termed-the bachelors clam
Der over bluffs and rocks which a man
would hesitate to ascend.
The bachelor seals are, perhaps, the
most restless animals in creation. They
are forever frolicking and looping about
either in the sea or on land From the
water they will gambol and jump three
or four feet above the surface, rising at
intervals to breathe-and the young BACH
elor seals are the finest swimmers OF
their race.
The bachelors are the least timid OF
the seals. and it is a matter of no diff
Guilty for three or four men to enter a
herd in the early morning, select the
finest specimens, turn them away from
the remainder. and drive them to the
killing grounds.
COLD-BLOODED SLAUGHTER.
All the sealskins that come from the
Pribylofs are taken from the bachelors
backs. There Is no hunting and less
cruelty entailed than in killing bullocks
or sheep. One of the greatest authorities
on the subject has been at pains to cal
cuIate that nearly 100000 seals may be
killed every year without diminution tc
the stock-but this Is a greatly exagger-
ated number, and of late years the catch
has sometimes sunk to 1900.
The seals are killed with heavy OAK
bludgeons and afterward the bodies are
rapidly skinned; the skins. which weigh
about seven pounds, are salted, and are
shipped almost Immediately to London
and New York. to be transformed into
the warm coats OF the fashionable.