The  mother  seal  readily  distinguishes  her  own  offspring  from  that  of
others,  nor  will  she  permit  the  young  of  any  other  seal  to  suckle  her.
I  have  noticed  in  the  killing  of  young  seals  (pups)  for  food  in  November
that  their  stomachs  were  full  of  milk,  although,  apparently,  the  mothers
had  not  been  on  the  islands  for  several  days  previous.  I  have  observed
that  the  male  seals  taken  in  the  forepart  of  the  season,  or  within  a  few
days  after  their  arrival  at  the  islands,  are  fat  and  their  stomachs  con-
tain quantities  of  undigested  fish  (mostly  cod),  while  the  stomachs  of
these  killed  in  the  latter  part  of  the  season  are  empty;  and  they  dimin-
ish in  flesh  until  they  leave  the  islands  late  in  the  season.
I  am  of  the  opinion  that  while  the  female  often  goes  long  distances  to
feed  while  giving  nourishment  to  her  young,  the  male  seals  of  2  years
old  and  over  seldom,  if  ever,  leave  the  islands  for  that  purpose  until  they
start  on  their  migration  southward.  When  the  seals  are  on  the  breed-
ing grounds  they  are  not  easily  frightened  unless  they  are  too  nearly
approached,  and  even  then  they  will  go  but  a  short  distance  if  the  cause
of  their  fright  becomes  stationary.
