OCR Text |
Show y - If 7r f'" ' X - j v x y , s vA'" va'V t-" V- .:-x' - - A j) : '. ..s.y---yr-'JJZ:- & BULL .WITtl 2 2 COt? 1 UNDER the terms of a treaty concluded con-cluded at Washington by the United States, Great Britain, 4 Russia and Japan, the fur seals of the north Pacific ocean are destined to obtain for the first time a1 form of protection that recent experience experi-ence has shown to be absolutely essential essen-tial for the conservation of the seal herds. The agreement between these four great powers prohibits for a period of 15 years the indiscriminate slaughter of seals while at sea, and places the legitimate killing of surplus seals on land under the immediate control con-trol of the nations having sovereignty over the islands to which the seals resort re-sort for breeding purposes. The na-ions na-ions which may be said to hold a jiind of property right in fur seal herds are the United States, Russia and Japan. The interests of Great Britain in this matter arise from the existence of an extensive fleet of sealing vessels that for many years had been operating operat-ing from British Columbia ports off the coasts of America. Russia and Japan. Although fur seals are found In both the northern and southern hemispheres, hemi-spheres, the largest herds are those of the north Pacific, which represent three closely-related species distinguished distin-guished by peculiarities in form, physiognomy physi-ognomy and pelage, and known as the Alaskan, Russian and Japanese fur seals respectively. The herds roam widely on the high seas, and their water wa-ter habitats approach one another if they do not overlap; but the different Bpecies do not associate, and always resort for breeding purposes to particular par-ticular islands. It is this habit which gives certain nations a temporary jurisdiction jur-isdiction and control over them, and j has created several international com-l com-l plications. Go Far South. The Japanese fur seal, which is the least abundant, never visits any land except Robben reef and some tiny Islands of the Kuril chain. The Russian Rus-sian fur seal, the next in abundance, never resorts to any shores except those of the Commander islands, lying far off the east coast of Kamtchatka. The Alaskan fur seal, far more' numerous numer-ous than the others, roams over a large part of the eastern Pacific ocean, as far south as southern California, and makes an annual pilgrimage to the Pribilof islands in Bering sea. These Islands, which came to the United States in 1867, when Russia ceded jurisdiction jur-isdiction over Alaska, and are the sole land resort of the Alaskan fur seal, have brought on the country much domestic do-mestic and international turmoil. It is a cause for great satisfaction in the United States, as it must be also in the other countries involved, that wise statesmanship has prevailed over any untoward influences that may have ; prevented an earlier settlement of the fur seal question, and has resulted in this convention, which insures the rescue res-cue of the depleted fur seal herds of both America and Asia from commercial commer-cial extinction. Although the seals are easily killed by the methods adopted by man for their destruction on sea and land, they are capable of withstanding great privation pri-vation and of undergoing extraordinary extraordi-nary muscular exertion. To maintain themselves during the winter without resorting to land is in itself no small accomplishment for air breathing, land-breeding animals. The females, leaving the islands in November, Novem-ber, go further south then any other members of the herd, and in December appear off southern California, where they remain until March. They then begin their long return journey, reaching reach-ing the islands early in June. The seals subsist chiefly on squid, but also on smelt, herring, salmon and other kinds of fish, which are caught and eaten in the water. Easy for the Males. The bachelor seals, having few responsibilities re-sponsibilities and cares, require less food than the mother seals, and make less frequent and less expeditious trips to the feeding-grounds. They paBS much of their time sleeping oa land or playing In the water near the shores The old bulls, however, have the most extraordinary vitality. Arriving on the islands about May 1, they remain constantly con-stantly on land until the last of July or the early part of August without eating eat-ing a single thing or even drinking, but living on the great amount of fat they have stored up while at sea. During Dur-ing all this time they maintain most vigilant watch over their harem, and are always ready to repel invaders, whether human or others, and to fight their rivals to a finish. At times, especially early In the season, sea-son, all the seals on land sleep the greater part of the time. A person may note a harem of which every member, even the vigilant master anc the hungry pups, is sound asleep The seals furthermore have the faculty of sleeping in the water, resting on the back with the long hind flippers held aloft or snugly folded along the body, and with the nose protruding from the surface. It is this habit of sleeping at sea which enables the hunter to approach ap-proach close enough to hurl a spear or discharge a load of buckshot, and has resulted in pelagic sealing with all Its attendant evils. While individual seals or entire harems may be asleep, the rookeries as a whole always present an animated scene, accompanied by a steady volume of discordant sounds, both day and night. The bulls frequently fre-quently utter savage roars of defiance, and keep up a constant scolding, chuckling chuck-ling and whistling in order to maintain discipline, and the cows have a shril! bleat and the pups an answering cry far more penetrating than the calls of ewe and Iamb. Off each rookery there is throughout the season ' a party of swimming, playing and sleeping seals, and an incessant passage of seals to and from the rookery and hauling-grounds. hauling-grounds. Some of them are bachelors, but most of them are cows, whose necessity ne-cessity for going to sea for food Is greater than that of any other members mem-bers of the herd, for tMey have to sustain sus-tain themselves and also provide nourishment nour-ishment for their pups. On the approach ap-proach of cold weather, the cows and pups leave the islands together. Up to that time the pups have subsisted solely on milk, and they then have to learn to catch their own food, consisting consist-ing of fish and squid. Inasmuch as the natural mortality among the pups in their first year is fully fifty per cent., it is evident that they experience many vicissitudes in the tempestuous seas to which they commit themselves. The males follow shortly after, but some remain about the islands throughout the winter in mild seasons, and the natives na-tives always depend on seals for food in December and January. |