146 ALASKA. 



These bacbelor-seals are, I am sure, v.itliout exceptiou, tbe 

 most restless animals in tbe wbole brute creation ; tbey frolic 

 and lope about over tbe grounds for bours, Avitbout a moment's 

 cessation, and tbeir sleep after tbis is sbort, and is accompanied 

 with nervous twitchings and uneasy movements j they seem to 

 be fairly brimful and overrunning with warm life. I have 

 never observed anything like ill-humor grow out of tbeir play- 

 ing together; invariably well pleased one with another in all 

 their frolicsome struggles. 



Tbe pups and yearlings have an especial fondness for sport- 

 ing on the rocks which are just at the water's level, so as to be 

 alternately covered and uncovered by tbe sea-rollers. On the 

 bare summit of these water-worn spots they struggle and 

 clamber, a dozen or two at a time, occasionally, for a single 

 rock; the strongest or luckiest one pushing the others all off, 

 which, however, simply redouble tbeir efforts and try to dis- 

 lodge him, who thus has, for a few moments only, the advan- 

 tage; for with the next roller and the other pressure, he gen- 

 erally is ousted, and the game is repeated. Sometimes, as well 

 as 1 could see, the same squad of " holluschukie'' played 

 around a rock thus situated, off " Kah Speel"' rookery, during 

 tbe whole of one day; but, of course, they cannot be told apart. 



The " holluscbukie,*' too, are tbe champion swimniers; at 

 least they do about all the fancy tumbling and turning that is 

 done by the fur-seals when in tbe water around tbe islands. 

 Tbe grave old bulls and tbeir matronly companions seldom 

 indulge in any extravagant display, such as jumping out of the 

 water like so many dolphins, describing, as these youngsters 

 do, beautiful elliptic curves, rising three and even four feet 

 from tbe sea, with the back slightly arched, tbe fore tiippers 

 folded back against the sides, and the hinder ones extended and 

 pressed together straight out behind, plumping in head first, 

 re-appearing in the same manner after an interval of a few 

 seconds. 



All classes will invariably make these dol[)bin-jumps when 

 tbey are suddenly surprised or are driven into tbe water, turn- 

 ing tbeir beads, while sailing in the air, between the "rises" 

 and '' plumps," to take a look at tbe cause of tbeir disturbance. 

 They all swim with great rapidity, and may be fairly said to 

 dart with the velocity of a bird on the wing along under the 

 water; and in all tbeir swimming I have not been able yet to 

 satisfy myself how tbey use tbeir long, llexible, bind feet, other 



