86 THE COURTSHIP OF ANIMALS 



time when the inequality of the harems reached such a 

 pitch, that the newly-arriving cows " had to lie in scattered 

 groups outside the main mass, and thus permitted the 

 weaker bulls to form new harems out of the reach of the 

 two strong old bulls." But perhaps the most singular 

 feature of all was the indifference which one old buil 

 displayed towards a little bachelor, permitting him to 

 enjoy the most intimate relations with one of his cows 

 without displaying the least sign of annoyance, as if he 

 could scarcely regard one so young as a rival. 



There is much evidence to show that the erotic side of 

 the male-seal develops early. " I saw," he says, " the 

 little black pups acting to each other in a way that made 

 it certain that their sexual feelings had already made 

 themselves felt." This one can well understand, for only 

 animals of strong sexual tendencies could survive the 

 strenuous life which the period of sexual activity entails. 



The very different interpretation of the behaviour 

 of these animals at this very important stage of their life- 

 history must be due to the fact that different colonies 

 were studied which were living, too, under somewhat 

 different conditions. It seems clear, for example, that 

 the landing of the females so graphically described by 

 Dr. Lucas was a landing under exceptional circumstances, 

 the master bulls having taken up positions at the only 

 spot where access to the desired breeding quarters was 

 to be found ; while Major Barrett Hamilton was probably 

 fortunate in seeing phases which were wanting in the 

 " rookeries " examined by Dr. Lucas. And both these 

 observers again differ in the accounts they give of the 

 life of such " rookeries " with those by Mr. Elliot, who 

 explored these teeming colonies some years earlier when 

 the number of animals forgathered there was far larger 



