POLOVINA ROOKERY. 533 



gave up the effort and lay down to sleep. She did not call out to the pup at any 

 time, as the mother usually does. When visited again in the afternoon, she seemed to 

 have lost all interest in the pup. 



The average living pup would not have received one-hundredth part of the 

 attention which was bestowed on this limp dead pup. The fur-seal mother seems to 

 go on the principle that the pup must learn to do for itself, and as soon as she finds it 

 able to move about and nurse she pays no more attention to it. 



The suggestion arises whether the other dead pup in this harem was not also 

 stillborn. It may be so, though the position in which it was first seen seemed to point 

 to its being trampled. The bull in charge of this harem has been a very aggressive 

 one. He it was that swam out and surprised the cow in the water, treating her very, 

 roughly in his efforts to secure and bring her in. It is probable that the death of the 

 pup was the result of injury at this time. 



POLO VINA. 



I walked to Polovina this afternoon. A great pod of bachelors were lying along 

 the end of the rookery adjoining the sand beach. They extended also along the back 

 of the rookery for some distance. It was impossible, therefore, to approach closely 

 enough to inspect the beach line. In the rear the idle bulls occupy all the territory 

 held by them last year, and it is possible only to get a general view of the flat 

 slope. It was very thickly set with bulls. Unless the number of active bulls is small 

 compared with the idle ones, this rookery must be larger than we estimated last 

 season. 



The idle bulls are, however, out in full force now, and on such rookeries as Keef, 

 Gorbatch, Tolstoi, and Polovina, where there is abundant territory in the rear, they 

 are very numerous. By the middle of July, when we saw the rookeries first last year, 

 many of them will undoubtedly have hauled off to the sand beaches. 



Above the cliff portions of Polovina lies a fringe of bulls, in some places three lines 

 deep. The line on the immediate front is composed of full grown harem bulls; the 

 others are young fellows. It is not possible to approach to examine the conditions 

 below the cliff. 



There are only about 25 bachelors and young bulls on the upper hauling ground 

 of Polovina. The number at the southern end must be between 600 and 800. 



Little Polovina has the same characteristics as the main rookery. The bulls are 

 numerous. One harem of ten or a dozen cows was seen on the slope which forms the 

 principal landing place to the rookery. 



JUNE 25. 



Mr. Adams visited the observation points at Lukanin and reports the capture of 

 another cow. Her pup was left behind. There are 7 pups and 6 cows in the harem 

 from which she was stolen, so that it is not possible to distinguish hers. Six of the 

 pups are podding by themselves under the lea of a rock. The stolen cow is badly cut. 



The pup belonging to the gashed cow, noted as stolen yesterday, has now made 

 its way to its mother. 



I visited Lukanin and Kitovi in the afternoon. There are 56 cows on the 

 Amphitheater and the usual number of bulls. One cow noted as having apparently 

 lost her pup can not be seen. Three cows were present in the harem just before noon, 

 but there are only 2 now. 



