THE PROPORTION OF THE SEXES AMONG PUPS. 423 



It is evident that the counting of live pups is not practicable on the wide rookeries 

 unless they can be driven out to a level place, and this is not possible, except at 

 considerable risk to the pups. 



In two instances we were repeatedly driven off by female seals who seemed to 

 have pups in pods which they were bound to defend. These mother seals could not 

 be driven, and returned to the attack when hauled a considerable distance down the 

 slope. Cows with newly born pups have been noted thus brave, but never those with 

 older pups. No bull could have made more trouble than these cows did. 



PROPORTION OP THE SEXES. 



With a view of determining- the proportion of the sexes, a number of pups on 

 Gorbatch rookery were examined. In the first lot of 136 pups, 70 were found to be 

 females and <(> males. In the next lot of 79, 40 were found to be males, 39 females. 

 In the next pod of 126, 80 were males and 46 females. Another lot of 63, 36 were 

 males and 27 females. Another contained 24 males and 30 females. Thus out of a 

 total of 458 pups, 246 were males and 212 females. The discrepancy arise? in one 

 pod of pups found in a cave, the great majority of which for some reason were males. 



In examining these pups the question of the color of belly was kept in mind. It 

 was found that both males and females had brown bellies, and vice versa. Xor did 

 the brownness seem to have anything to do with size, the largest as well as the 

 smallest pups having light bellies. 



At least 20 starving pups were seen on Gorbatch to-day in the small part of the 

 rookery counted. Three of these pups were all but dead, wholly unable to move or 

 get about. They were unconscious, and only a fitful jerky breathing told that life 

 still lingered in them. Two others were dead, but still warm, and manifestly starved 

 to death. 



The pups examined as to sex were for the most part taken out from the little 

 groups huddled in the crevices of the rocks. Where they were piled up still after 

 half an hour the undermost ones were in a heated condition, as indicated by their 

 flippers when handled. It would not do to try and count the living pups on these 

 rocky rookeries. 



ARDIGUE>. 



At 4 o'clock the slide of Ardignen was visited. The place seemed practicallj' 

 deserted. Only one bull is at the head of the slide, probably B. There are no bulls 

 at all on the main part. Six young bulls maintain position on the water's edge and 

 are teasing 2-year-olds and passing cows. Apparently most of the cows are at sea. 

 The pups are down on the rocks at the edge or in the water. 



Pups are imitative little creatures. One slides down the incline of a smooth 

 stone, lighting on his nose. Another came down and did exactly the same thing, 

 following his example. 



Two freshly dead starved pups are seen on the slide. A number of living pups 

 show the effects of 'starvation. 



Interesting to note the peculiar position in which the animals lie. A cow is lying 

 on a rather steeply inclined rock with her head toward the top, her pup lying beside 

 her in exactly the same position. Two cows are lying on flat stones with their heads 

 hanging down over the side; apparently have no fear of a rush of blood to the head. 



