THE FUR SEAL. VITALITY OF MALES. 1 1 3 



completely; that such warm-blooded, highly-organized creatures should never have a rapid 

 recurrence of sexual desire, ill common with all other animals of their class, until it is gratified 

 in the u^ual way, is not at all probable, though it may be possible. 



SMALL NUMBER OF BARKEN FEMALES. To show, however, that a very small proportion of 

 the myriads of breeding females are barren, I have only to present this illustration, which is happy 

 in its conclusion, and easily portrayed : Whenever a female ceases to breed she refuses to haul 

 upon the rookeries; she roams with the "Holluschickie," or the ''Bachelors," growing a third 

 heavier and marked with corresponding darker tones to her coat, yet still preserving the familiar 

 pattern of the female, so that she can be picked out quickly by an experienced eye from the old 

 and young males around her. In driving up every season the "Elolluschickie" to the killing- 

 grounds, the natives noticed, and pointed out to me, those barren females in the drive, several of 

 which were secured for my examination and measurement; but the proportion of barren females 

 is not more than one in a thousand to the " Holluschickie " with which they consort. 



8F 



