THE PUR SEALS OF THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS. 



between present and past conditions easy. Hair and smooth stones cover the ground 

 in places intermixed with vegetation, showing the former extent of the territory hauled 

 over by the seals. 



AUGUST 2. 



Dr. Jordan and Mr. Clark visited Gorbatch and Eeef rookeries in the afternoon. 



GORBATCH ROOKERY. 



Under the cliff at Gorbatch a bull is seen copulating. The cow lies with her 

 breast on a stone. She is an old cow and is very patient. Another cow is biting at 

 the bull's neck. The cow herself reaches up and bites him. The bull and cow roll off 

 the stone, but are not parted. The cow tries to get away, bites him severely in the 

 neck. The bull will not let her go and holds her quite successfully with his fore flippers. 

 The cow is satisfied. The bull lies back with his nose in the air and seems to sleep. 

 He is wet, but probably from the surf, which throws spray on him. The harem is on 

 the rocks at the water's edge. There are 8 cows in the harem and 2 pups. Other 

 pups play near by. 



THE COLOR OF THE BULLS. 



One big bull under the cliffs has more red in his coat than any other yet seen. It 

 is noticeable that there is more diversity among the bulls as to color than is seen in 

 the females. Some are creamy, others dark brown, this one reddish brown, some iron 

 gray, some simply gray. One lying here looks as if he had dark rings across his gray 

 back. He is fat and the rolls of blubber may give the ringlike appearance. Probably 

 he has been out to sea to feed and has returned fat. He has evidently not suffered by 

 fasting. 1 



PUPS. 



Many pups are swimming to-day. There is no evidence that the cows are helping 

 them to learn; in fact, none are near them. Cows going to and coming from the 

 water pass them without notice. The holostiaki are here playing with the swimming 

 pups as on Lukanin. 



Five dead pups can be counted on the rocks below. A dead pup, a large one, is 

 seen lying on a flat rock about 10 feet from the edge of one of the outer harems on 

 Gorbatch. It is full and plump. After some difficulty it is got out arid is found to 

 be fresh. It was brought home for post-mortem examination. 



The pup was dissected by Dr. Voss. He found the vena cava and one auricle of 

 the heart burst, evidently under pressure. The internal organism of the pup seemed 

 otherwise all right. Death doubtless resulted from crushing under the weight of a 

 bull. After the accident the pup must have crawled up on the rock to die. 



A pup is seen lying across the side of a sleeping cow. The pup's hind flippers are 

 lapped over the cow's back. His head is down. He is taking his dinner under 

 disadvantages, but he is getting it just the same. 



A cow is up on a rock at some distance in the rear of the last harem. She is 

 looking into a crevice in the rock and calling, evidently trying to get her pup out. 

 There is a pod of sleeping pups in there. 



1 In 1897 it was observed that the younger bulls went and came from the water more or less 

 regularly. They probably fed also. 



