REEF AND ARDIGUEN. 481 



are behind them. The whole lot act as if playing, and move along very leisurely. 

 Occasionally a little cloud of spray is blown up. 1 should say that the fin of the big 

 killer was over 2 feet long. The others are smaller, and the little fellow has a 

 stubby fin. 



There is a band of a dozen seals moving along in dolphin leaps in the same 

 direction and about midway distant between the killers and the shore. There are 

 seals beyond the killers, before and behind them at considerable distance. There is 

 no excitement among the seals, and the killers do not appear to notice them. 



The bulls and bachelors in the little cove go into the sea. There is a starved pup 

 among them, which will probably be dead to-inorrow. I find another starved pup at 

 the same place dead among the rocks. These are half a mile from the lieef and farther 

 from Ivitovi rookery. Under a little ledge is a strong, healthy pup sleeping. He is 

 evidently resting from a swim. I rap on the stone above him and he bounds like a 

 rubber ball down over the rocks and out into the heavy surf. 



As I go down along the brow of the cliff there are many bulls playing in the 

 water, rolling over and over and going through all the motions that the cows and 

 pups show. There is a cluster of these old fellows having a good time between two 

 lines of breakers, associating in perfect harmony one with another. I have noticed 

 within the last few days many bulls off Gorbatch and the Eeef swimming among the 

 pups, holostiaki, and cows. They are fat and satisfied. 



In the little angle just before reaching the northern termination of the Eeef there 

 is an isolated harem. The bull sits among his cows and pups roaring at me just as 

 he did in July, the day we finished counting this rookery. One could imagine that 

 he has not left his post yet, but he is fat and sleek and it is probable that he has been 

 away and has returned. He occupies an isolated position and has had no interference, 

 an angle of the cliff cutting this harein off from the others. He could easily have been 

 gone for two weeks and found his place vacant on his return, or he could have thrown 

 out any intruder. He is a vigorous fellow. 



ARDIGUEN. 



Occasionally in different parts of the rookeries you find a bull in some particular 

 place who seems not to have left it. They are generally in isolated positions. The 

 black fellow that has been for the past two or three weeks at the head of the " slide" 

 is an example. 



There are more and more seals on the flat height of the parade ground. Cows 

 and pups have moved back into the green flat at the eastern side on account of the 

 rain. 



At the mouth of the " slide " the bachelors are as yesterday. They have spread 

 out over a good part of the little grassy hollow back of the mouth of the gully. 

 There is a wet bull in C's place. He acts as though he owned the place, working 

 industriously but ineffectually to keep out the young bachelors who are playing 

 sikatchi. He drives them all far out, then comes back and lies down; but they are 

 back about him in a few minutes. The wet fellow goes over to make a lunge at the 



