ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 



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middle of July. The bulls are polygamous, having from 5 to 20 cows 

 each; so the number of them upon the rookeries is not more than 

 one-tenth that of the cows. They have frequent and bloody fights for 

 the possession and retention of their places upon the rookeries and of 

 the cows, in which some are killed, others driven from the rookeries, and 

 all more or less badly bitten and gashed by the. sharp, curved tusks of 

 their opponents. The cows, even, do not always escape unhurt, as two 

 bulls sometimes seize a cow and literally tear her in two in their strug- 

 gle for possession. 



The cows are continually arriving upon the rookeries and giving birth 

 to their pups until about the middle of July. Usually each cow bears a 

 single pup, though I have been told by persons whose statement I have 

 no reason to doubt, that they have witnessed one or two instances of 

 twins. From the 10th to the 25th of July the rookeries are fuller than 

 at any other time during the season, as the pups have all been born, and 

 all the bulls, cows, and pups remain within their limits. 



During the breeding season, nearly three months, the bulls have re- 

 mained upon the rookeries, never leaving them for an instant, even to 

 procure food. 



This fasting, the constant watchfulness necessary to keep their harems 

 together and to prevent the encroachments of other bulls, and the service 

 of the cows, render their position no sinecure. Their emaciated bodies 

 and loose and wrinkled skins at its close are in marked. contrast to the 

 fat, sleek-looking cows, for the latter have been constantly going and 

 coming between the rookeries and the water, so that at any one time 

 there are seldom more than one half of them on shore. About the first 

 of August, the breeding season being over, and ihe pups, which grow 

 rapidly, having become large and strong enough to* move about, the 

 rookeries begin to lose their compact formation and rigid exclusive- 

 uess. The bulls begin to go into the water, their places being filled 

 by the younger males, which up to this time have not been allowed to 

 go upon the rookeries, while the cows and pups spread back over the 

 hauling grounds in scattered groups, and occupy more than twice the 

 space that had previously held them. Meanwhile the young males or 

 bachelor seals have been coming to the hauling grounds, which are 

 covered more or less thickly with them all summer. They do not 

 remain on shore long at a time, but haul up to sleep and play for a 

 while, and then return to the water for food. They are so numerous, 

 however, that thousands can always be seen upon the hauling grounds, 

 as all of them are never either on shore or in the water at the same 

 time. The yearlings, easily distinguished by their size and the silvery 

 color of their sides and bellies, do not make their appearance until the 

 latter part of July, when they arrive in a body, males and females, 

 together. They go upon the hauling grounds in great numbers, and 

 play together for hours at a time. The bachelors join them in their 

 sjiort, and, singling out the baby cows, form mimic rookeries, and imi- 

 tate the roaring, fighting, and caressing of the bulls in a ludicrous man- 

 ner. In September and October the pups exchange the coat of short 

 black hair, which had been their only covering from their birth, for one 

 of fur, and hair similar in appearance to that of the yearling, and learn 

 to swim, in readiness for their departure from the island in November 

 and December. Many of them are killed by the surf, particularly if 

 the season is a stormy one, as they are not strong enough swimmers 

 to save themselves from being dashed against the rocks by it. 

 The cows remain with their pups, and suckle them until all have left 

 the islands in December. It is probable that of the seals born each 



