Fur Seal 



same time only strictly American species is the Alaskan flit 

 seal of the Pribilof Islands, the other species inhabiting respectively 

 Bering and Medni Islands, and Robben Island in the Sea of 

 Okhotsk. 



The fur seal is a migratory animal, spending the summer and 

 autumn in its breeding ground on the Pribilofs and passing the 

 winter at sea, ranging down the coast as far as southern Cali- 

 fornia. The females reach maturity at the end of their second 

 year, while the males do not gain their full size and strength 

 until seven years old. As in most gregarious and polygamous 

 animals this results in several distinct stages of growth which 

 are designated by the sealers by special names. There are the 

 adult "bulls" and "cows," as well as the new-born "pups," 

 while the young males of three years are the "bachelors" and 

 the older ones the "half bulls." 



The summer life of the breeding ground or "rookeries" as 

 described by visitors is exceedingly interesting. About the first 

 of May the old bulls begin to arrive and take up their positions 

 on the bleak rocky beaches. By June the cows appear and as 

 fast as they land are taken in hand by the bulls, each one 

 eventually surrounding himself by a "harem" which he guards 

 and rounds up, forcing back any cow that attempts to escape. 

 The single pup is born shortly after the arrival of the cow and 

 as soon as it has become sufficiently strong to be left she re- 

 pairs to the sea to feed, returning to it at intervals. 



Meanwhile the "bachelors" and "half bulls" arrive at the 

 rookery, but herd by themselves and make no attempt to intrude 

 upon the harems. The late arriving bulls which fail to secure 

 harems locate immediately behind their more fortunate rivals and 

 by their efforts to encroach upon adjoining harems or steal cows 

 they continually precipitate desperate fights which frequently result 

 in their own destruction and cause great uproars throughout 

 the rookery. 



The old bulls, which often for a space of two months 

 have been forced to fast in order to maintain their positions in 

 the rookery, begin to seek their feeding ground at sea about the 

 middle of July. They are usually much emaciated as compared 

 with their fat, sleek appearance at the beginning of the season, 

 the great thick coat of blubber having been absorbed to supply 

 their bodies in lieu of food. The killing for the market is re- 



2IO 



