30 BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF FISHERIES. 



The method of counting pups. — At first glance it would seem impossible to count a 

 mass of closely packed, squirming fur-seal pups as they are found on the rookeries. A 

 little study and experiment, however, soon convinces that it can be done very satis- 

 factorily by the method employed in 191 2 and 191 3. This consists in gradually driv- 

 ing the pups off in small groups, or pods, and successively counting these pods until all 

 have passed in review. About August i practically all the pups have been born, and 

 the majority are several weeks old, strong, active little fellows, able to tumble about 

 the rocks and to progress on favorable ground in a somewhat jerky lope, which takes 

 them along at a rate almost equal to that of a man walking. Although able to swim 

 and although they do so voluntarily about a week later, they will not take to the water 

 at this time unless very hard pressed. 



At the same time the adults are present on the rookenes in reduced numbers. 

 Many of the old bulls have gone, and those that remain, with some notable exceptions, 

 have lost their former stubbornness and pugnacity. The cows, no longer held by the 

 bulls, flee in a body to the sea, leaving only the pups and a few surly bulls on land. 

 The counting squad then advances and by prodding with long poles urges the bulls 

 into the water or isolates them from the pups in case they prove too recalcitrant. The 

 pups huddle together in large pods or scurry into holes and crevices in the rocks. Begin- 

 ning at one end of the rookery, or at a runway near the middle if two squads are work- 

 ing, the counters start a small pod of pups back toward the imoccupied space. The 

 first pod moved is generally a small one sometimes started with a little difficulty and 

 counted as a whole, if necessary. After this it becomes easy to induce successive pods 

 to cross the open space and join those already counted. As soon as one pup, stronger 

 or more venturesome than his fellows, starts across others follow in rapid succession, 

 and so they go like sheep, one at a time, two abreast, and three abreast, galloping past 

 the counters, who stand at one side, notebook in hand. In case the file widens beyond 

 the possibility of accurate counting, assistants stationed on either side and somewhat 

 behind the advancing line close in and either cut off the pod completely or bring it to 

 proper attenuation by causing the pups in advance to move faster and those behind to 

 reduce their speed. Now and then pups start back toward their original positions or 

 some of those uncounted move in an undesired direction, but confusion from such moves 

 is prevented by native assistants whose duty is to hold the line between the counted 

 and the uncounted. As each section of rookery space is cleared, the counters search 

 all the crevices and small caverns in the rocks in which pups may be concealed. On 

 some rookeries such places are very numerous, and to make sure that none are over- 

 looked it is necessary to pull out the pups one by one and drive them back to space 

 previously surveyed. This is usually quite laborious and requires much time and 

 patience. No less than 84 pups were extracted in this way from a single cavern under 

 Polovina Cliffs. That some were overlooked in such places is, of course, not impossible, 

 but the work was so thoroughly done in all cases that the number must be exceedingly 

 small. The fur-seal pup at this time is an animal of- 15 to 20 pounds in weight and 

 about 2 feet in length, including the hind flippers. Therefore, one is not likely to be 

 missed, except by accident. 



It is undeniable that counting pups creates a great disturbance of the rookeries. 

 It Hterally moves each rookery a short distance along the shore, causing every seal to 

 change position and bringing about a general commotion which to one unacquainted with 



