244 DISCOVERY REPORTS 



It has been found that the best time for branding is the beginning of November when 

 most of the pups are completing the shedding of their first black woolly coat, and are 

 leaving their mothers and congregating in small flocks by themselves on the beaches. 

 If the branding is left till later the pups are so big that overcoming their struggles 

 wastes a lot of time. They stand the branding very well and appear to be extremely 

 insensible to pain. Only three branded seal have been seen, all in 1925, and all had 

 been branded in the previous season. One hauled out on King Edward Point, Cumber- 

 land Bay, early in November 1925, bearing the brand of No. 3 Division, which includes 

 Cumberland Bay. It was a female, 5I ft. long. The scar of the brand was incompletely 

 healed, and was suppurating slightly at the angles of the figure " 3 ". This was the only 

 one seen by the writer. 



Sand throwing Habit. When lying on the beach elephant seal have a peculiar 

 habit of throwing sand and shingle on to their backs. It is, in fact, not only a habit 

 but an instinct, as the very young pups cover themselves as do the adults (Plate XXI, 

 fig. i). They throw the sand up by bringing the fore flipper of one side round so that 

 the tip is directed nearly forward, and then suddenly sweeping it round sideways and 

 backwards, scooping up with the palmar surface a load of sand which is thrown upwards 

 with considerable force ; so much so that frequently most of it falls on the beach on the 

 other side of the seal. It has been stated that they do this to keep off the direct rays of 

 the sun, but this cannot be so, as they do it just as much on dull days as when the sun 

 is shining. In the writer's opinion it is to keep the skin moist that the habit has been 

 developed. The skin of the seal is always wet when it is in the water, as the hair is short 

 and encloses no layer of air, so that, no doubt, a feeling of irritation is produced if 

 the skin dries when the seal is on the beach. The eyes, too, appear to be irritated by the 

 air when the seal leaves the water, for there is a copious secretion of tears which stream 

 down the sides of the face and produce large wet patches round the eyes (Plate XXI, 

 fig. I ; Plate XXIII, fig. 2). 



An unexpected mobility of the fore limb is shown in thus reaching forward to 

 scoop up sand, and it is further displayed when the seal use the limb for scratching 

 themselves. The digits are provided with well-formed nails, and they can bring the 

 fore flipper forward so as to scratch the chin or top of the head, or to wipe the nose 

 with the back of it, and can bring it back so as to scratch the belly, hind flippers or 

 back. The hind flippers, too, although unprovided with functional nails, are used for 

 scratching each other, the hind portion of the body being raised in the air and the 

 flippers vigorously rubbed together. When stretching themselves the hind flippers are 

 also brought into play, the plantar surfaces being brought together and the webs 

 widely stretched like a fan. 



Breathing. When sleeping or lying undisturbed the breathing of the elephant seal 

 is characteristic. Inspiration is deep, and then the nostrils are closed and the breath 

 held for an average of forty seconds. This is followed by a rapid forcible expiration. 

 Every few expirations one more forcible than usual is given, producing a loud snort, 

 so that after the seal have been out of the water for some time their muzzles become 



