ORAL ARGUMENT OF SIR RICHARD WEBSTER, Q, C. M. P. 173 



not either still carrying her young, or whose size did not show that she was of suffi- 

 cient age to have already had a place on the breeding grounds. In other words, I 

 never saw a virgin tVniale u])ou the breeding islands. Every female of small size 

 that was seen moving about the rookeries or leaving the water was watclied, and 

 was without exception found either to go at once to some harem where she was 

 plainly at home, or by her manner it was evident that she had young somewhere on 

 the rookery. Very often, too, if watched until they lay down, it could be seen that 

 their breasts were swollen as if full of milk, though this was by no means always 

 the case. Not one cow concerning which I was left in doubt was seen on any 

 rookery, and I feel certain that no virgin cow came ashore at these places. 



Mr. J. Stanley Brown, who had been on the islands for some weeks before I reached 

 them, told me (8th July). 



Will the Tribunal lemember the United States Case is, and our Case 

 is that the cows have practically all, though uot absolutely all come by 

 the end of Juue — the 20th June is the date nearest fixed. 



Mr. J. Stanley Brown, who had hcen on the islands for some weeks before I reached 

 them, told me '(8th July) that he had been carefully watching a number of harems 

 as they grew, and was certain that not one virgin cow had yet come ashore. He told 

 me at "this time that he was quite sure that these young females did not haul out with 

 the •'holluschickie", but spent the early part of the season in the water in front of 

 the breeding-grounds and came out on them later on and were then served either by 

 the old bulls or by youuger ones near the water. 



This explanation can hardly, however, be the true one, as were the virgin cows 

 really in considerable numbers in front of the rookeries, they would be seen there at 

 all times; but often, when the day was cold and cloudy, hardly a seal was to be seen 

 in the water neir the islands though at other times it was black with them. Where 

 are the young females when few seals are seen in the water! 



Were it true that the young females are not served until late in the season, they 

 would be either much later in bringing forth their youug than the older cows, or 

 they must carry their tirst young for a much shorter time than those of following 

 years, which is scarcely credible. 



I do not think it will be suggested — we have heard of a great many 

 curious laws mentioned, but a sliorter period of gestation in the earlier 

 years will scarcely be suggested. 



But two other solutions of the question seemed to be possible: one that females 

 do not come to the breeding islands, unless in very small numbers, until they arrive 

 there to give birth to their iirst youug; the other that these two or three-year-old 

 females haul out with the holluschickie, and are served by the older bachelors among 

 them. Ml". Brown in August appeared to come to the latter conclusion, and even 

 pointed out to me small seals among the holluschickie, which he asserted to be 

 females. Though asked by me to shoot one or two of these small seals (as females 

 had been shot by his orders a few days before at North-east Point for the purpose of 

 determining whether they had been feeding), he declined to do ,so. Had this been 

 done, these questions might at once have been decided. 



Then at the bottom of the page is stated, and the authority of Mr. 

 Bryant is given, that the young three or four-year-old males met cows 

 in the water as they came from the rookeries ; and he refers to the virgin 

 females. 



It seems then probable thst at best the greater portion of the virgin cows are first 

 served at sea. Bryant speaks of its being a common thing for young three and four 

 year old males to meet cows in the water as they come from the rookeries and there 

 perform the act of coition; and though these cows v/ere proi)ably ones that had 

 young ones on the rookeries many hunters and captains of sealing-schooners with 

 whom I conversed at Victoria and elsewhere assured me that they had often seen seals 

 copulating in the water and had shot both male and female wliile they were in the 

 act. The female in majority of cases was one that had not yet had a pup, though in 

 some instances they were barren cows with milk in their breast. 



Then Mr. Stanley Biowu, at page 13 of the second Volume of the 

 Appendix to the United States Case, says: 



The time of the arrival of the virgin cows is not easy to determine, but from my 

 observation my present coiulusion is that they arrive with the ^ows and for a while 

 spend their time in the water or on the land adjacent to the rookery margin. 



