158 MARINE MAMMALS OF TEE NORTH-WESTERN COAST. 
"Many of the females, on their arrival, appear desirous of returning to some 
particular male, and frequently climb the outlying rocks to overlook the rookeries, 
calling out, and listening as if for a familiar voice. Then changing to another 
place, they do the same again, until some 'bachelor' seal, swimming in the water, 
approaches and drives her on shore, often compelling her to land against her will. 
Here comes in the duty of the 'bachelor' seals. They swim all day along the 
shore, escorting and driving the females on to the rocks as fast as they arrive. 
As soon as a female reaches the shore, the nearest male goes down to meet her, 
making meanwhile a noise like the clucking of a hen to her chickens. He bows 
to her and coaxes her, until he gets between her and the water, so that she can 
not escape him. Then his manner changes, and with a harsh growl he drives her 
to a place in his harem. This continues until the lower row of harems is nearly 
full. Then the males higher up select the time when their more fortunate neigh- 
bors are off their guard, to steal their wives. This they do by taking them in 
their mouths and lifting them over the heads of the other females, and carefully 
placing them in their own harem, carrying them as cats do their kittens. Those 
still higher up pursue the same method, until the whole space is occupied. Fre- 
quently a struggle ensues between two males for possession of the same female, and 
both seizing her at once, pull her in two, or terribly lacerate her with their teeth. 
When the space is all filled, the old male walks around, complacently reviewing his 
family, scolding those who crowd or disturb the others, and fiercely driving off all 
intruders. This surveillance always keeps him actively occupied. In two or three 
days after landing, the females give birth to one pup each, weighing about six 
pounds. It is entirely black, and retains this color for the whole season. The 
young are quite vigorous, even at birth, nursing very soon after they are born. 
The mother manifests a strong attachment for her own offspring. 
"In a few days after the birth of the young, the female is ready for inter- 
course with the male. She now becomes solicitous of his attentions, and extends 
herself on the rocks before him. Owing to the position of the genital organs, how- 
ever, coition on land seems to be not the natural method, and only rarely, perhaps 
in three cases out of ten, is the attempt to copulate under such circumstances 
effectual. In the meantime, the four and five year old males are in attendance along 
the shore. When the jealous lord is off his guard, or engaged in driving away a 
rival, a female will slip into the water, and an attentive 'bachelor' seal follows her 
some distance from shore. Then, breast to breast, they embrace each other, turning 
alternately for each other to breathe, the act of copulation sometimes continuing 
from five to eight minutes. When the female again returns to the shore, she is 
