366 THE FUR SEALS OF THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS. 



learning to swim. No cows were with them. The little fellows began by dropping 

 off' the rocks into the water and then scrambling back again. On a second trial they 

 would go a short distance, apparently having difficulty in keeping their heads above 

 water or in getting them up when they wanted to breathe. They would always raise 

 their heads with a gasp. In the course of two hours considerable progress seemed 

 noticeable. Some of the little fellows were able to swim about 25 feet or more. After 

 going this distance they would apparently turn in great haste to reach the shore, not 

 stopping till they were out of the water. One could imagine they were just a little 

 afraid. They would soon drop off into the water and try it again. Occasionally two 

 or three would swim some distance down the beach, 10 or 12 feet out from the shore, to 

 a large rock. Some returned by water, others came out on the rocks and remained 

 there. These were evidently beginners. Others were swimming fearlessly. 



The pups soon become accustomed to the water, and are to be seen playing 

 with each other, biting and pulling one another about much as on the land. When 

 one gets out on a rock another will attempt to push him off', or it may be that a big 

 wave will push several of the pups off some Hat rock, and the first one to recover his 

 position will try to prevent the others from lauding. 



A little bachelor swims up to a pup out a rod or two in the water and takes him 

 by the neck as if to duck him. The pup makes for shore, breaking away from the 

 bachelor and raising his head gasping. Seeing the bachelor following, he climbs the 

 rocks, not stopping till he is far up in the rookery. -The bachelor swims out to other 

 pups. There are other bachelors about, but neither they nor the cows seem to pay 

 any attention to the pups. Cows from the water are passing out and in, shoving the 

 pups out of their way as they go. There is nothing, beyond the interference noted, 

 that resembles helping the pups learn to swim, and the bachelor's intention was 

 evidently to have fun with the pups rather than to assist them. 



A pup in the water was seen to take a long piece of kelp and swim away with it, 

 soon dropping it. Another takes it up. This is what has given rise to the theory of 

 the pups feeding on kelp. There is no apparent intention to eat. They simply play 

 with the kelp as a dog would play with a stick. 



cows AND PUPS. 



Many wet cows are coming out of the water at this point. One just in is calling. 

 Three or four pups are hanging about her, but she snaps at them and pushes them 

 away. They understand quickly enough that she is not their mother, and leave her. 

 Though watched during the space of an hour, she does not get her pup. She presently 

 stops calling. Perhaps her pup is one of those swimming and does not hear her. She 

 is apparently content. 



Another cow comes in and in two minutes her pup is nursing. The wetness of the 

 cow has evidently nothing to do with the matter. If the pup turns up immediately 

 and is anxious for it, he gets his dinner at once. If he is asleep or playing, his mother 

 may or may not hunt him up, and she may prefer not to see him until she is dry. The 

 pups she pushes away are simply not hers. Still another wet cow comes in. She finds 

 her pup waiting for her at the water's edge, and it nurses immediately. 



At the same time there are three cows almost dry, showing that they have been 

 out of the water some time, which have no pups. One of them is calling lustily. 



