8o 



HARD WICKE 'S S CIENCE - G OS SI P. 



eyes are large, glistening, and very expressive. The 

 great haunt of this species during the breeding season 

 is the small group of islands in Behring's Sea, dis- 

 covered by Prybilov in 1 786 and named after him. 

 Upon the discovery of the islands the Russians at 

 once established a fur company there, and, says Mr. 

 Clark, "slaughtered annually, for thirty years, from 

 80,000 to 90,000 animals, luithoiit regard to sex or 

 system. About 181 7 it was observed that they had 

 diminished in number. Still no change took place. 

 But in 1836 only a tithe of the former number ap- 

 peared, and then the system was adopted which is 

 practically the same as that enforced at the present 

 day by the government of the United States, to whom 

 the islands now belong" {^Contemporary ReiAe^v, vol. 

 xxvii. p. 36). In Scammon's "Marine Animals 



middle of July the "rookeries" are full. At this 

 time it has been estimated that on the Island of St. 

 Paul's, with a beach extending for eight miles in 

 length and 129 feet in depth, over three millions of 

 breeding fur seals with their cubs are to be found, 

 and on the smaller Island of St. George are 163,420 

 more ; add to which the yearlings and males under 

 six yeai"s of age, estimated at two millions more, and 

 the astounding total of five or six millions of fur seals 

 are found to congregate upon these small islands. 



Upon the arrival of the females or "mothers," the 

 duties of the " bachelors " commence : following the 

 females, they compel them to land, when, imme- 

 diately, down comes the nearest old male, who, with 

 much clucking and many bows, contrives to get be- 

 tween the lady and the water: "then his manner 



HUffLE 



Fig. 70. Northern Fur Seal (fitarla 2irsina),'^'xi\.^x Scammon. 



of the North-western Coast of North America" is a 

 long and interesting account of the bree ding habits of 

 this species, from which the following is condensed. 



By the middle of April the first old males make 

 their appearance at the breeding- places in the 

 Prybilov Islands, and after landing and reconnoitring 

 depart, to return, however, in a few days with the 

 first party of males of all ages; then follow fresh 

 animals daily till all the males of various ages have 

 arrived. The old patriarchs, called ' ' married seals, " 

 immediately land and take up their stations in the 

 "rookery," often, it is said, returning to the same spot 

 year after year, each reserving for himself a space 

 equal to about a square rod for the accommodation 

 of the ten or fifteen wives he is expecting shortly to 

 arrive. The young males are compelled to stay in 

 the water, and are called "Bachelors." About 

 15th June the females begin to appear, and by the 



changes, and with a harsh growl he drives her to a 

 place in his harem," alas ! only to be seized by the 

 nearest male above, as soon as her lord is otherwise 

 occupied ; the new lord in his turn being subjected to 

 the same robbery till the males farthest from the 

 sea have secured their complement of females. The 

 poor "mother" often gets roughly used in thus 

 passing from mouth to mouth (for she is lifted about 

 like a kitten) ; and, should a fight for her possession 

 occur, is not unfrequently pulled in two. When all 

 the places are filled up tranquillity prevails, the old 

 males keeping order, each in his own harem, and 

 driving off all intruders. The young are born two 

 or three days after all is quiet, and carefully tended 

 by their mothers. By the middle of August the young 

 are all born and the females again pregnant ; the old 

 males then resign their charge to the younger males 

 and go off to sea to break the long fast which has 



