200 BERING ISLAND. [chap. 



and the effect is such as ahnost to give him the appearance of a 

 different species. According to Mr. Elliott, the weight of a three- 

 year-old male is about 90 lbs. and its length 4 feet 4 inches, but a 

 full-grown one of the largest size would weigh as much as 600 lbs. 

 and measure over seven feet. Such monsters as these, are of course 

 useless so far as their skins are concerned, but in the rookery their 

 authority is proportionate to their weight, and few antagonists 

 would care to dispute a holding ground with them. The immense 

 masses of fat which these old seals carry render their movement on 

 land an affair of more or less difficulty, but the action of the females 

 and young holluschicki is much freer, and they get about with a 

 tolerable amount of ease. A pet one presented to us during our 

 visit, which lived for several days on board the yacht, gave me 

 abundant opportunity of studying its habits. The fore flippers are 

 used with considerable power, and the animal progresses almost 

 entirely by their means, the hind quarters, which appear as if they 

 were semi-paralysed, being drawn up awkwardly after them. De- 

 spite its evident unfitness for life on land, the seal is, however, a 

 very fair climber, and is often found some distance inland, and in 

 places by no means easy of access. 



The female, or cow as she is always termed, comes on to the 

 breeding-ground at the beginning of her third year, and at that age 

 weighs little over 70 lbs. The older ones sometimes increase to as 

 much as 120 lbs. but the majority are considerably under that 

 weight. They are thus just one-sixth of the size of the bull. Their 

 length from tip to tip, as given by Mr. Elliott, is from four to four 

 and a half feet. Very soon after their arrival — at most not more 

 than a day or two'^ — they give birth to a single pup, whose life, 

 amid all the desperate fighting that ceaselessly takes place between 

 the ponderous bulls, runs no little risk of extinction during the 

 first few days. The cows go through no period of lengthened fast 

 like their consorts, but after a little while pay regular visits to the 



1 From this and other facts it seems that the period of gestation is almost exactly 

 twelve months. 



