HABITS. 367 



observed anything like ill-humor grow out of their playing to- 

 gether ; invariably well pleased one with another in all their 

 frolicsome struggles. 



"The pups and yearlings have an especial fondness ior sport- 

 ing on the rocks which are just at the water's level, so as to be 

 alternately covered and uncovered by the sea-rollers. On the 

 bare summit of these water- worn spots they struggle and clam- 

 ber, a dozen or two at a time, occasionally, for a single rock ; 

 the strongest or luckiest one pushing the others all off, which, 

 however, simply redouble their efforts and try to dislodge him, 

 who thus has, for a few moments only, the advantage ; for with 

 the next roller and the other pressure, he generally is ousted, 

 and the game is repeated. Sometimes, as well as I could see, 

 the same squad of 'holluschukie' played around a rock thus 

 situated, off < Nan SpeeP rookery, during the whole of one day ; 

 but, of course, they cannot be told apart. 



"The < holluschukie,' too, are the champion swimmers; at 

 least they do about all the fancy tumbling and turning that is 

 done by the fur-seals when in the water around the islands. 

 The grave old bulls and their matronly companions seldom 

 indulge in any extravagant display, such as jumping out of the 

 water like so many dolphins, describing, as these youngsters 

 do, beautiful elliptic curves, rising three and even four feet 

 from the sea, with the back slightly arched, the fore flippers 

 folded back against the sides, and the hinder ones extended and 

 pressed together straight out behind, plumping in head first, 

 re-appearing in the same manner after an interval of a few sec- 

 onds. 



"All classes will invariably make these dolphin-jumps [*] when 

 they are suddenly surprised or are driven into the water, turn- 

 ing 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 with great rapidity, and may be fairly said to 

 dart with the velocity of a bird on the wing along under the 

 water ; and in all their swimming I have not been able yet to 

 satisfy myself how they used their long, flexible, hind feet, other 

 than as steering mediums. The propelling motion, if they have 

 any, is so rapid, that my eye is not quick enough to catch it ; 

 the fore feet, however, can be very distinctly seen to work, 



[*Mr. J. H. Blake, who accompanied Professor Agassiz on the Hassler Ex- 

 pedition to South America in 1871, as artist of the expedition, observed the 

 Southern Sea Lions (Otaria jubata) performing similar evolutions.] 



