114 ANIMAL SKETCHES. CHAP. 



the humid, foggy weather of summer sets in with the 

 month of June. Then it is seen that they are only the 

 pioneers or advance-guard of a great army of bull-seals 

 which come up in hundreds and thousands to establish 

 themselves in the " rookery." There is not room for all, 

 and the shore becomes a scene of fierce confusion and of 

 an endless series of battles by single combat. See how 

 that gray old bull guards his chosen piece of ground ! 

 An interloper approaches ; they growl and spit at each 

 other ; the snarling lips are drawn back and display the 

 glistening teeth ; they make a number of feints or false 

 passes at one another; their heads are darted out and 

 back ; they roar hoarsely and their fat bodies swell with 

 exertion and rage; now one has fairly gripped, nothing 

 but sheer strength can shake him loose, and that effort 

 can only be made at the cost of an ugly wound. And so 

 the fight continues until the interloper, gashed and pant- 

 ing, is forced to retire. And what is all this savage 

 fighting about ? What have men and beasts fought about 

 from time immemorial? It is true thre is riot a sign 

 of a cow-seal at present, but the ladies are coming, and 

 soon they too will be hauling up in thousands on the 

 rocks. Happy the old bulls on the water-line station ! 

 How that sleek old gray -whiskers bows and coaxes and 

 wheedles the little dames (they are only one quarter the 

 size of their lord) and assists them to land in the politest 

 fashion. And having seen them comfortably ashore, he 

 goes down to do the polite to fresh arrivals. But mean- 

 while his neighbour just inland of him shuffles forward, 

 reaches out his sleek round head, and picks up one of the 

 shy demure dames by the scruff of her neck, just as a cat 

 does a kitten, and transfers her to his station. Then 

 bulls number three, four, and so on in the vicinity, see- 

 ing his high-handed operation, all assail each other, and 



