The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1915-03-06

AISINC. ]
I q ~ Frederis j.
The possibility OF the extinction
LOT. the fur seal has now been abso-
lutely overcome, according to ofiici-
ais Of the bureau OF fisheries. who
have recently completed an inspecT
itfons ofsthe seal population of Mas
being the only Important breeding
ground for seals IN the world:
The inspectors found that pre-
cautions taken by the United States
/ and Their interested nations have al
iredyE checked the decrease Of the seal
HERDS, which are now steadily gain
ing in numbers. II the pelagic treat
lies between Russia, England, Japan
and our own nation are as@Weu kept
| for the balance OF the term agreed
upon as they have been SO far. lit Ia
believed that the seals will have so
Increased in numbers as to be capa-
bic of meeting all future demands OF
the world fur trade. NJ
The Pelag treaty was signed
lduring the summer Of is GIL. by four
nations 1t proved that pelagic seal
| ing. or the killing of COW seals upon
the CHI seas. should be absolutely
prohibited for term OF fifteen years,
and it is being faithfully kept. This
government made itself responsible
for its enforcement, and has kept a
| patrol along the north seas for seal
protection.
It was decided that an occasional
census should be taken to determine
the annual gain in the seal population
lresu1ting from this treaty. Special
Eohcers representing the United
States government have recently
islands withsmost satisfactory results.
Many difficulties had to be overcome
but the enumerators have surmOunt-
ed most OF them.
Taking a seaEcensus is a delicate.
undertaking. The seal household IS
la strictly private Institution not. to be
lightly invaded. Moreover, the seal
mothers have habit Of absentingI
when their children are
still OF tender age. and the seal ba-
bies, or puppy seals, have trick OF
hiding nrock crevices which is most
battling to the census man, who
sometimes finds it hard to determine
to which family they belong. In adj
lily. a lordly seal with white teeth and
stiff whiskers rears himself up in dig
Snified anger when any stranger
threatens to violate the privacy OF
his home.s He is, however, less dam
gerous tEan he looks.
The fur seals live in large rock
cries divided into family conlmuni-
ties known as groups or pods or
.harems-" Tie males are po1yga-
nous, and It's not easy to know how
many females belong to one master.
The male seals begin to come ashore
about the first of May and proceed to
locate the sites of their harems by a
sort Of mapping out which all seem
to understand: 1t is not peaceful
proceeding. They fight f1ercely for
the most desirable sites, but after a
seal has Won a home. his right to 1t Is
respected. Sometimes the fl light is SO
fierce that a beast is mortally wound
ed and having won his space lies
down to die upon 1t.
The COW seals begin to arrive
about the first OF June No$one seems
to know how the selection OF wives is
made. Some believe that each COW
/! seal knows her lord and master, and
the male who has secure the bestslo
cation, attracts the largest number
hof females. At all events. the one
with the most females is the recog-
i5n1zed leader of his tribe. "A large
number Of males fail to attract any
females, and are known as bachelors.
They are not allowed by the fathers
tsof families so much as to put a flip
iper upon any of the breeding places:
BY the middle Of July every COW
seal has arrived and taken her place
lin a hafem. Soon after landing each
bears a single pup While rat first she
seems to caress and love tenderly.
She nourishes itfwith er own milk
for six or eigth weeks. After that
tsheS seems to lose all affection for her
baby; and he is cast off to shift for
himself. The BAH Aeals! learn TO
swim a bout the midd lie September.
and shortly after that. the sharem is
broken UP, the seals scattering swher-
ever their rowing fancy takes them.
1t is during the latter part OF the
breeding season, Just before thu
young seals have learned to- swim.
THAT the census enumerator must do
his work. It is easy to count the
tharcm masters. They are very muck
I'm evidence and always at home in
the beginning OF the season. because
they fast when the babies are young
So assio be on hand to protect their
families. Later they are apt to go
foff with the mothers In quest OF food.
lit is the puppies that the census man.
is most anxious to count. They are
tine future hope Of the seal race, and.
also indicate the number OF others
as each bears but one pup.
| While the mot her seal is nursing
tner young, She will defend him
against anyone with her life. After
the pup lis. weaned. she will run Oft
I to the. water upon the approach OF
u stranger, leaving her offspring unr--
prot Then the census an;
rounds UP all these seal babies and