FUR-SEAL MOTHER AND PUP. 369 



Several virgin cows are grouped in small harems near the top of the rocky slope 

 of Gorbatch. These small harems are evidently increasing from day to day. 



The white bull driven up yesterday on the parade ground with his harem is back 

 in his old position with one cow. The cow stampedes on our approach. The bull acts 

 as though the world were a hard one, and as though he owed us a big grudge. 



A young gray bull is fondling over a large pup which is lying on a small stone. 

 A neighboring bull disturbs him. He returns and puts his nose down on the pup. 

 Acts as though he would attempt copulation. The pup struggles out and runs away, 

 the bull following. He is attacked by his neighbor, and, coming back, lies down by 

 the stone. 



THE CINDER SLOPE OF GORBATCH. 



On the western slope of Gorbatch is a slide of smooth cinders which swarms with 

 pups. The harems on this slide have gradually worked up the hill until the top ones 

 are on the very brow of the parade ground. It is at the very top that the white bull 

 is located. The slide is steep and the surface is hard. Any animal starting down is 

 liable to slide to the very bottom, whether it will or not. A large number of half bulls 

 have been seen to be thrown down here lately by the bulls. There are pups at every 

 stage of the slide; but although there are hundreds of them about, none are seen 

 dead, except one on a little angle, where it has evidently been crushed. It would be 

 impossible for a bull to step on a pup here. He has to choose well his footing if he is 

 not to slide ofl' into the sea. 



MOTHERS AND PUPS. 



In a harem beside a stump of driftwood near the water's edge there is a newly 

 born pup. The bull in the harem is greatly excited over something, acting as though 

 he thought one of his cows was in heat. He follows her about until he has all the 

 cows stirred up. When he comes near the little pup, the mother stands over it with 

 an air of protection, lifting it out of the way of the bull, and fighting off' the other 

 cows. The fresh red placenta shows that the pup is only a few hours old. Finally the 

 cow in which the bull is interested gets away to the water. Several others go, too. 

 Then the bull quiets down. 



One cow comes in wet from the sea. Before she is half way up the slide her pup 

 meets her. He begins sucking as she stands waiting. In a few moments she starts 

 on; the pup follows. She goes through a large pod of pups and lies down in the edge 

 of them; the pup, which has followed her closely, settles down to nurse. In a few 

 moments she turns over on the other side to give him a chance to complete his meal. 



A cow on a rock at the water's edge which a moment ago was calling loudly for 

 her pup has it with her now, nursing in that rather difficult location. The pup is wet. 

 He has evidently been swimming, and so was right at hand to respond to his mother's 

 call. Evidently the rule that the pups must wait until the mother is dry has many 

 exceptions. The mother is dripping wet, and both she and the pup are drenched by 

 the surf, which sends spray over the rock. 



Another cow comes in and gets her pup at the foot of the slide. It follows her 

 laboriously up the steep slope. She turns under a shelf of rock half way up and lets 

 the little fellow feed. 



