THE HAIR SEALS ON GORBATCH. 483 



have an understanding with each other and are combining forces to drive off two 

 young bulls that persist in coming in from behind. They are unusually fat, and the 

 exertion is hard on them. The bachelors are thick, and in some cases the old bulls 

 try to rim them out when they get among the few cows and pups that lie about them; 

 but as a rule they pay no attention. 



Between A and B is a youngish bull that looks very much like the young water 

 bull that first took up his place on the slide. He is very active. A is as lively 

 as ever. 



Back of A's place are three black bulls who seem to correspond to the idle bulls 

 of the breeding season. The four bulls in position keep them back. 



One old bull is out in the surf with the pups, acting as though he would laud. He 

 did land in a few minutes, but went away again. 



A heavy surf is coming in here. The pups are evidently afraid of it. When they 

 want to land they dive under a breaker and then come in in the spent water. When 

 the returning water begins to let them down on the rocks and another breaker is 

 coming behind them they turn about and dive out under it, coining up in the spent 

 water and swimming in as before. Sometimes they have to go through the process 

 several times. The old cows take a longer time than the pups, and are decidedly 

 cautious. The surf this morning is higher than I have seen it here. 



The bulls are lunging at one another and herding up the cows, just as in the 

 earlier days; but all their motions are mild and lacking in the old fire. They evidently 

 realize that there is nothing to fight for. 



A cow is swimming about in the surf, with a pup following her. It is evidently 

 her pup. When they get separated she calls and the little fellow answers. 



GORBATCH. 



On going over to the other side on the cinder slope I find that the edge of the hill 

 is thickly covered with cows and pups. There is a vacant space down to the rocks 

 where the hair seals lie, and beyond there is a strip of seals in an irregular belt 

 running from the beach to the top, terminating in a flock of bachelors which extends 

 out on the flat above. 



There are about 20 hair seals on the rocks. They take to the water as soon as 

 they see us at the top. Their sense of sight must be acute. No fur seal would see us 

 at this distance. Contrary to their usual custom of disappearing immediately, they 

 come up, and their round heads bob up and down as they come back in a group toward 

 their rocks. They do not laud, however, while we stay. The place where they have 

 been lying is white with excrement like that of the sea lion. 



The bar forming Zoltoi sands has evidently increased since we came in July. It 

 extends far out beyond the angle at the cliffs, and toward the village a considerable 

 extent of the bowlder beach has been covered. Three pups which, when Mr. Lucas 

 and I counted them, were at a distance from the sand are now, together with the rocks 

 about, partially covered. Mr. Eedpath says that the ice will pack in and currents will 

 be formed, carrying the sand away, to be piled up by the surf next summer. 



