364 THE FUR SEALS OF THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS. 



the small seals out, one by one, from the pod. The first two inspected proved to be 

 females, virgins which had never had pups. The third, very closely resembling- these, 

 proved to be a holostiak. He evidently belonged to the flock of bachelors lying hauled 

 out on the brow of the hill above this last outlying harem. The majority of the rest 

 were 4 year-olds, distinguishable by reason of their incipient wigs. Among them 

 were a number of females with pups. The rest of the pod was released. The 

 holostiaki and the cows hastened down through the harems and did not stop till they 

 reached the sea. The white bull went part way down and then turned about. He 

 was the picture of outraged dignity. He seems perfectly dazed. Two half bulls are 

 in his former place. It will be of interest to see whether he returns. 



Apollon, the chief, and his men rounded up a pod of holostiaki from the hauling 

 ground of Reef Rookery. There are some half bulls among the lot, but the majority 

 are apparently yearlings. One by one they are noosed and drawn out of the lot. 

 While two Aleuts with their clubs control the head of the seal, another seizes it by 

 the hind flipper and turns it upon its back, thus permitting perfect identification as 

 to the sex. 



It is interesting to note that these little fellows fight with exactly the same spirit 

 and determination as when they were on hand at the killing on the 25th. It is with 

 the greatest difficulty that those examined can be induced to leave the ground. They 

 persist in returning to the pod. The tenth animal examined proved to be an adult 

 cow, and as she had evidently never borne a pup she was killed for dissection. She 

 proved to be a barren cow, the only one so far definitely recorded. 



One after another the little fellows are drawn off until 23 have been examined 

 They are all plainly holostiaki yearlings. A few yet remain, but their size and the 

 presence of the wig sufficiently indicate their sex, and they are released. It may 

 safely be inferred that no virgin females are among the bachelors on the Reef. 



THE BABBEN FEMALE. 



On examination the barren female showed the organs of reproduction in a 

 rudimentary state. She could not possibly bear a pup; therefore, her presence among 

 the bachelors meant nothing. She was to them no more than a male. The drive 

 made was from the center of the hauling ground back of the main part of Reef 

 rookery, and at a distance of not less than an eighth of a mile from any harem. The 

 cow was associating with the holostiaki as though one of their number, and was not 

 seen to be disturbed by them. 



The following are the detailed notes of the dissection of the barren cow, conducted 

 by Dr. Otto Voss and Dr. Jordan : 



"From an examination of the teeth and skull she was found to be an adult cow, 

 probably about 5 years of age. She was above medium length, but slender and of 

 rather less than medium weight. The throat was very dark brown in color, rusty 

 below as well as above. The mammae were found to be fairly large and to have 

 undergone pathological fatty degeneration. The glandular structure was obliterated. 

 The ovaries were found to be small, about one-fourth the size of those of the virgin 

 2-year-old cows recently examined. The fallopian tubes and uterus were similarly 

 atrophied. The right ovary contained a small Graafian follicle and egg. The 

 germinal spot was visible in the egg and not impregnated. There was evident no 

 sign of impregnation or of capacity for impregnation. No signs of corpus luteum or 



