THE FUR-SEAL ISLANDS OF ALASKA. 45 



appears in all of their playing together; they never growl or bite, or show even the slightest angry feeling, but are 

 invariably as happy, one with another, as can be imagined. This is a very singular trait; they lose it, however, 

 with astonishing rapidity, when their ambition and strength develops and carries them, in due course of time, 

 to the rookery. (See note, 39, N.) 



The pups and yearlings have an especial fondness for sporting on the rocks which are just at the water's level 

 and awash, so as to be covered and uncovered as the surf rolls in. On the bare summit of these wave-worn spots, 

 they will struggle and clamber in groups of a dozen or two at a time throughout the whole day, in endeavoring to 

 push off that one of their number which has just been fortunate enough to secure a lauding; the successor has, 

 however, but a brief moment of exultation in victory, for the next roller that comes booming in, together with the 

 pressure by its friends, turns the table, and the game is repeated, with another seal on top. Sometimes, as well as I 

 could see, the same squad of "holluschickie" played for a whole day and night, without a moment's cessation, around 

 such a rock as this, off " Uah Speel" rookery ; but in this observation I may be mistaken, because the seals cannot 

 be told apart. 



Seals among the breakers. — The graceful unconcern with which the fur-seal sports safely in, among, and 

 under booming breakers, during the prevalence of the numerous heavy gales at the islands, has afforded me many 

 consecutive hours of spell-bound attention to them, absorbed in watching their adroit evolutions within the 

 foaming surf, that seemingly, every moment, would, in its fierce convulsions, dash these hardy swimmers, stunned 

 and lifeless, against the iron-bound foundations of the shore, which alone checked the furious rush of the waves. 

 Not at all. Through the wildest and most ungovernable mood of the roaring tempest and storm-tossed waters 

 attending its transit, I never failed, on creeping out, and peering over the bluffs, in such weather, to see squads of 

 these perfect watermen — the most expert of all amphibians — gamboling in the seething, creamy wake of mighty 

 rollers, which constantly broke in thunder tones over their alert, dodging heads. The swift succeeding seas seemed, 

 every instant, to poise the seals at the very verge of death. Tet the CaUorhinus, exulting in his skill and strength, 

 bade defiance to their wrath, and continued his diversions. 



Swimming feats of the "bachelors". — The "holluschickie "are the champion swimmers of all the seal-tribe; 

 at least, when in the water around the islands, they do nearly every fancy tumble and turn that can be executed. 

 The grave old males and their matronly companions seldom indulge in any extravagant display, as do these 

 youngsters, jumping out of the water like, so many dolphins, describing beautiful elliptic curves sheer above 

 its surface, rising three and even four feet from the sea, with the back slightly arched, the fore-fiippers folded 

 tightly against the sides, and the hinder ones extended and pressed together straight out behind, plumping in head 

 first, to reappear in the same manner, after an interval of a few seconds of submarine swimming, bke the flight of a 

 bird, on their course. Sea-lions and hair-seals never jump in this manner. (See note, 39, O.) 



All classes will invariably make these dolphin-jumps, when they are surprised or are driven into the water, 

 curiously turning their heads while sailing in the air, between the "rises" and "plumps", to take a look at the cause 

 of their disturbance. They all swim rapidly, with the exception of the pups, and may be said to dart under the 

 water with the velocity of a bird on the wing; as they swim they are invariably submerged, running along 

 horizontally about two or three feet below the surface, guiding their course with the hind-flippers as by an oar, and 

 propelling themselves solely by the fore-feet, rising to breathe at intervals which are either very frequent or else 

 so wide apart that it is impossible to see the speeding animal when he rises a second time. 



How long they can remain under water without taking a fresh breath, is a problem which I had not the heart 

 to solve, by instituting a series of experiments at the island; but I am inclined to think that, if the truth were known 

 in regard to their ability of going without rising to breathe, it would be considered astounding. On this point, 

 however, I have no data worth discussing, but will say that, in all their swimming which I have had a chance to 

 study, as they passed under the water, mirrored to my eyes from the bluff above by the whitish-colored rocks below 

 the rookery waters at Great Eastern rookery, I have not been able to satisfy myself how they used their long, 

 flexible hind-feet, other than as steering media. If these posterior members have any perceptible motion, it is so 

 rapid that my eye is not quick enough to catch it; but the fore-flippers, however, can be most distinctly seen, as 

 they work in feathering forward and sweeping flatly back, opposed to the water, with great rapidity and energy. 

 They are evidently the sole propulsive power of the fur-seal in the water, as they are its main fulcrum and lever 

 combined, for progression on land. I regret that the shy nature of the hair-seal never allowed me to study its 

 swimming motions, but it seems to be a general point of agreement among authorities on the Phocidw, that all 

 motion in water by them arises from that power which they exert and apply with the hind-feet. So far as my 

 observations on the hair-seal go, I am inclined to agree with this opinion. 



All their movements in water, whether they are traveling to some objective point or are in sport, are quick 

 and joyous ; and nothing is more suggestive of intense satisfaction and pure physical comfort, than is that spectacle 

 which we can see every August, a short distance out at sea from any rookery where thousands of old males and 

 females are idly rolling over in the billows side by side, rubbing and scratching with their fore- and hind-flippers, 

 which are here and there stuck up out of the water by their owners, like the lateen-sails of the Mediterranean 

 feluccas, or, when the hind-flippers are presented, like a "cat-o'-nine tails". They sleep in the water a great deal, 

 too, more than is generally supposed, showing that they do not come on land to rest — very clearly not. 



