Feeding habits of fur seals (Callhorinus ursinus), sea lions (Eumetopias jubata) and harbour seals (Phoca vitulina) have been examined along the British Columbia coast. Collections were made out to 35 miles from shore. All pertinent published and unpublished data have been combined with the object of assessing the effect of pinniped predation upon commercially valuable fish stocks. A total of 126 harbour seal stomachs, 2,113 fur seal stomachs and 393 sea lion stomachs were available. Comparative anatomy of the digestive tract was examined and notable differences were found in the relatively longer digestive tract and late eruption of permanent teeth in the sea lion. Published data indicate that fur seals, sea lions, and harbour seals eat an amount of food equal to 6%of their body weight per day with a range of 2% to 11%. All samples were grouped as to season and area of collection and comparative seasonal feeding habits were discussed. The effect of the reproductive period upon feeding habits was examined: there is little evidence regarding fur seal feeding habits on the rookeries except for conflicting observations made on harem bulls; the majority of the sea lion rookery population fasts for a few days only, during pupping; harbour seals on the Skeena River appear to fast for at least part of June. There is no evidence of interspecific competition between the three species studied on the British Columbia coast. Sea lions and harbour seals each year eat an estimated amount equivalent to 1.6% of the annual commercial salmon catch and 2.7% of the annual commercial herring catch. Predation at this level is believed to be of negligible importance in the reduction of existing salmon and herring stocks. Insufficient data from waters greater than 35 miles from shore precludes an assessment of fur seal predation upon ocean salmon. Further offshore collections should be made. / Science, Faculty of / Zoology, Department of / Graduate

The "argument from species overlap" (abbreviated ASO) claims that some human and nonhuman animals possess similar sets of morally relevant characteristics, and are therefore similarly morally significant. The argument stands as a general challenge to moral theories, because many theories hold that all humans possess greater moral significance than all nonhuman animals. In this thesis I discuss responses to the ASO, primarily those of Peter Carruthers, Tom Regan, Evelyn Pluhar, and Peter Singer. Carruthers denies the conclusion of the ASO, while the other three do not. I argue that the ASO is a sound argument, and that Carruthers's attempts to counter it via his contractualist theory are unsuccessful. I next discuss the rights-based theories of Regan and Pluhar, which agree with the conclusion of the ASO but which, I believe, encounter significant theoretical difficulties. Finally, I address the ASO from a utilitarian perspective, first from Singer's utilitarian formulation and then from a "welfare-utilitarian" formulation. I answer a number of critical objections to welfare utilitarianism, and argue that the theory is most successful in facing the challenge of the ASO. / Master of Arts

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of California, Los Angeles, 2003. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references.

Inaug.-Diss.--Berlin. / At head of title; Aus der chirugischen abteilung des krankenhauses "Am urban" zu Berlin (Direktor: prof. dr. Gohrbandt). Lebenslauf. "Literaturangabe": p. [57]-58.

Bibliography: leaves 263-278. This research investigated the existence of individual differences in cognitive abilities in mice. Arguments have been put forward regarding the likely bases of such differences.

Bibliography: leaves 263-278. / xxi, 278 leaves ; ill. (some col.) ; 30cm. / Title page, contents and abstract only. The complete thesis in print form is available from the University Library. / This research investigated the existence of individual differences in cognitive abilities in mice. Arguments have been put forward regarding the likely bases of such differences. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Adelaide, Dept. of Psychology, 2003

Thèse : Sciences naturelles : Académie de Paris, Faculté des sciences : 1841. / Titre provenant de l'écran-titre.

Inaug.-diss.--Tübingen. / Lebenslauf. "Abkürzungen": 3d prelim. l. "Die ganze arbeit erscheint unter dem titel 'Totenklage um tiere in der antiken dichtung, mit einem anhang byzantinischer, mittellateinischer und neuhochdeutscher tier-epikedien' ... als heft 8 der 'Tübinger beiträge zur altertumswissenschaft'."

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Queensland, 2001. / Includes bibliographical references.

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