44 THE ANIMALS OF NEW ZEALAND 



males are unifornily of a blackish grey colour. The fur and skin 

 of the male are superior to those of the female, being much 

 thicker. On the neck and shoulders the male has a 

 thiclfer, longer, and much coarser coat of fur, which may almost 

 be termed bristles. It is from three to four inches long, and 

 can be ruffed up and made to stand erect at will. ' ' 



In regard to the movements of the animals on land. ( -aptain 

 Musgrave says : — ' ' They go roaring about the woods like wild 

 cattle. When they are on shore, they can run surprisingly fast; 

 on the hard, smooth beach they can run nearly as fast as a 

 man, and in the bush, or in the long grass, faster than a man. 

 They are able to climb up rocky cliffs and steep slippery banks 

 that would be inaccessible to men. The bulls are very bold, and 

 will come out of the water and chase us. They are particularity 

 fierce." 



He adds that the bull seals go into the bays in October or 

 the beginning of November, when they are very fat. During 

 those months, and the two following ones, seals pass most of 

 their time on shore, the bulls basking in the sun, while the cows 

 roam about the woods looking for a suitable place in which to 

 calve. The young are born early in February, always on shore, 

 and there is only one calf at birth. When the young are a few 

 days old, the mother sets to work to get them into the water,. 

 but they show great antipathy to it, and only after many efforts, 

 and much biting, beating, and pushing, does the mother succeed. 

 One mother has been known to spend over three days in getting 

 her calf half-a-mile towards the water. After this, the cows 

 assemble in mobs of from twelve to twenty, with their young, 

 and pass the months of February, ]March, and April, when they 

 suckle the young, chiefly on shore. There are generally one 

 or two bulls in each mob^ but these leave the bays after the 

 beginning of April. When the young are three months old, they 

 leave off suckling, and, with their mothers, keep the water 

 during the day, but return to shore at night to sleep, going to 

 the water again before daylight. They do not choose any 

 particular place for sleeping in, but take shelter anywhere in 

 the bush, or in the long grass close to the shore. If not disturbed. 



