RECENT CHANGES IN HABITS AND NUMBERS, ETC. 397 



tl The season of 1876 was marked by no special change in the 

 movements of the Seals from that of the preceding year. The 

 Seals came at their usual time, beginning to arrive the 12th 

 of April, and the same conditions of location obtained as in 

 1874 and 1875. The beachmasters, by occupying the entire 

 length of the old breeding-ground, compelled the younger Seals 

 to pass completely beyond to the bays and sand-beaches, while 

 the jncreased number of females, through lack of space on the 

 old grounds, began to occupy the sand-beaches nearest the 

 rookeries.* 



" The average time of landing of the females was a little later, 

 or, rather, a portion landed after the 20th of July to have their 

 young, showing that they were not covered in their first heat 

 the previous season. 



" The beachmasters and reserves showed an increase in num- 

 ber over the previous year, due to young bulls just matured. 

 The old stock of the year prior to the lease had apparently 

 nearly died out, leaving a new and more vigorous stock to- 

 supply their places. 



" In the autumn the weather, which for three years had been 

 so mild, proved unusually rough and severe. October 30th there 

 was a severe gale, accompanied with snow, which covered the 

 breeding-grounds to a depth of ten inches, and drove all the 

 Seals, both young and old, into the water, and only a compara- 

 tively small number returned again to the shore. Among 

 these were large numbers of females which had lost their young, 

 and for several days they went about the breeding-grounds 

 plaintively calling for their pups. In November, when the time 

 had arrived for driving the young Seals to kill fb the supply 

 of winter food for the natives, it was found that only half the 

 number (five thousand) requisite for that purpose flould be ob- 

 tained. Undoubtedly great numbers of the young Seals which 

 were driven to the water by the storm must have become sep- 

 arated from their parents and lost. As I was relieved before 

 the time for their return the next season, there was no one on 

 the island experienced enough to perceive to what extent the 



" * I may here state that the repugnance the females have to occupying the 

 sandy beaches for a breeding-ground appears to arise from the evident dis- 

 comfort they experience from the sand getting into their, hair and fur while 

 obliged to remain there, especially when rains occur. The young Seals 

 also appear to suffer in health if rains occur before they are old enough to 

 take to the water, they becoming scurfy precisely as young pigs do when 

 compelled to live in muddy places." 



