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



arguing tlie matter I sliould not be performing my duty if I did not 

 bring tliis into notice. 



Senator Morgan. — That is exactly what I am trying to get you to do. 



Sir Richard Webster. — My point is this: that when I have shewn 

 by the testimony that has been read botli by Sir Charles Russell and by 

 myself, that the selection of the females to form a harem, in the ordinary 

 life of the seal, was by the male — when I call attention to a respectable 

 gentleman who describes that in which the male takes no part, I think. 

 1 am not ill-founded in making the suggestion that the contrast points 

 strongly in the direction of there not being proper virile power upon 

 these rookeries. 



Senator Morgan. — Neither am I ill founded in trying to find out the 

 truth about it. 



Sir Richard Werster. — I am not conscious of having said anything 

 which could point in that direction. 



Then Mr. Stanley Brown says: 



The size of harems, therefore, has of itself, 



This is important with reference to the Commissioners' statement. 



The size of harems, therefore, has of itself but little to do with the question of the 

 lack of virile males, but indicates only the selective power of the females. 



That is in teeth of the Commissioners' statement which I read this 

 morning. Now I was challenged by my friends, and quite properly 

 with reference to what I was referring to. 



I refer first to the language of Mr. Bryant, their own witness, at page 

 385 of Allen's monograph, where says: 



Immediately on landing — 



that is the females. 



they are taken possession of by the nearest males, who compel them to lie down in 

 the spaces they have reserved for their families. For a few days the females arrive 

 slowly, but by the 25th of the month thousands land daily. 



That is the month of June. Then it goes on : 



As soon as the males in the line nearest to the shore get each seven or eight females 

 in their possession, those higher up watch their op])ortunity and steal them from 

 them. This they accomplish by seizing the females by the neck as a cat takes her 

 kitten. Those still higher up pursue the same method until the entire breeding 

 space is filled. In the average there are about fifteen females to oue beachmaster. 



That had already been read. I referred to that when I said evidence 

 had been already given upon it. 



Now in the 10th Census Report of 1881, of which again I say nobody 

 has ever questioned the accuracy or the truthfulness, from observation, 

 at page 36, under the heading '^ Organization of the Rookeries", 

 this is the description of it by Mr. Elliott in his first report. 



They 



that is the cows 



are noticed and received by the males on the waterline stations with attention; they 

 are alternately coaxed 



this is what I had in my mind when I said I thought it pointed to some- 

 thing which was done almost before the cow left the water, and 1 will 

 find another reference too. 



They are alternately coaxed and urged up on to the rocks, as far as these beach- 

 masters can do so, by chuckling, whistling, and roaring, and then they are imme- 

 diately under the most jealous supervision; but owing to the covetous and ambitious 

 nature of the bulls which occupy these stations to the rear of the water line and 



