440 THE FUR SEALS OF THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS. 



AUGUST 28. 



Gorbatch and the Beef were visited. 



ROOKERY CHANGES. 



The real "spreading" of the rookeries comes not at the close of the season but 

 later, and is very different from the phenomenon of rookery expansion. More 

 than two-thirds of the cinder slope on Gorbatch is to-day covered with seals. The 

 space formerly occupied by the harems is entirely bare. These seal harems have 

 moved back within a day or two. Many of the pups and cows are in the water, but 

 more of them have moved back far up on the slope. They have even overflowed on 

 the flat above pups, cows, bulls, and holostiaki mingled indiscriminately. 



The hauling ground at the back of the Reef rookery is now vacant in the middle 

 portion. One can walk down to the large rock pile at the head of the main runway. 

 The bachelors still congregate in the extreme ends of the hauling ground. 



From the rock pile a splendid view of the rookery is available. The appearance 

 of things has changed in the past few days. The three great wedge-shaped patches 

 which were the distinguishing feature of this rookery have now lost their form. The 

 whole body of seals has moved back from the beach. The runways for bachelors are 

 bridged over, and a continuous line of cows, pups, and half bulls extend right through 

 from end to end. At no place is there an opening; at the two points where the great 

 masses existed in July the line is much wider. 



This line of seals has now Towusend's crosses in its middle, and in two cases the 

 line is entirely above the crosses. For the most part the original rookery territory is 

 bare. Some cows are nursing their pups among the bachelors on the hauling ground. 

 The line of harems extends to the limit of the hauling, and the place where the virgin 

 cows were shot is now covered with cows and pups. 



LATE HAREMS. 



Just outside of the line of cows are a number of well-defined harems. The largest 

 of these contains 23 cows and is in charge of a fine large bull. One or two pups are 

 visible, but the majority of the cows are young. The bull lies stretched out on the 

 ground surrounded by his cows. One would take it to be a well-regulated harem in 

 the height of the season. 



. At a short distance on either side of this harem are 2 others and beyond them 2 

 more. These 5 harems are well denned and all in charge of good sized bulls. The 

 other harems number 12, 14, 20, and 20 cows, respectively. In the harem of 12 cows 

 is one pup nursing. The harem of 14 cows seems to contain a single pup. One of the 

 harems with 20 has 5 pups, the other 10. These harems are a short distance back of 

 the line of pups and cows. About these and all along are the usual harems of 1 or 2 

 virgins with a young bull. 



A young bull enters the largest of the harems and is promptly fired out by the 

 master. No copulation is seen, though the bulls are very attentive. It must be, 

 however, that many of these cows will yet be served. 



The water along the Reef is full of swimming pups and holostiaki. The front of 

 the rookery is bare and one could walk from end to end where the seals were massed 

 in the breeding season without disturbing any seals. 



