CONDITION IN 1869. 385 



beachmasters ; me 'reserves 7 all occupy tlie most advan- 

 tageous position for seizing upon any vacancies, and the bach- 

 elors spread over the adjoining uplands. At this time the first 

 females make their appearance. They are not observed in the 

 water in any numbers until they appear on the shore. Imme- 

 diately on landing they are taken possession of by the nearest 

 males, who compel them to lie down in the spaces they have re- 

 served for their families. For a few days the females arrive 

 slowly, but by the 25th of the month thousands land daily. As 

 soon as the males in the line nearest to the shore get each seven 

 or eight females in their possession, those higher up watch their 

 opportunity and steal them from them. This they accomplish 

 by seizing the females by the neck as a cat takes her kitten. 

 Those still higher up pursue the same method until the entire 

 breeding space is filled. In the average there are about fif- 

 teen females to one beachmaster. Soon after the females have 

 landed each gives birth to a single young one. During parturi- 

 tion the female lies extended on the rocks, and keeps up a fanning 

 motion with her hind flippers. They appear to suffer little in la- 

 bour. The young Seal remains in the placenta until liberated 

 by the mother, who rends the envelope with her teeth, which 

 she sometimes does before parturition is completed. Once freed 

 from the sac, the little fellow is very active and soon learns to 

 nurse. The mother suckles her young while lying on her side ; 

 the teats being situated on the belly. Two days after the birth 

 of the young the female is in heat and receives the male. Dur- 

 ing copulation the female extends herself on the rocks in the 

 same manner as when giving birth to her young. The act of 

 coition continues for from seven to ten minutes, during which, 

 at intervals of two or three minutes, occur rapid vibrations of 

 the body of the male, accompanied by a fanning movement of 

 the hind flippers by the female, who is otherwise quiescent. 

 Ordinarily the operation is similar to that of the cat, but in 

 some instances, when a male and female are by themselves, 

 without danger of interruption, I have seen the male deliber- 

 ately turn the female on her back and copulate in that manner. 

 This, however, happens more frequently in the water than on 

 the land. It is often observable that while the females are 

 landing in great numbers they come in heat faster than the males 

 on the rookeries can cover them. In such cases some of the 

 females break away and escape into the water to meet fresher 

 and more vigorous mates* It is in this way that the class of 

 Misc. Pub. No. 12 25 



