DISCIPLINE OF THE HEACH MASTERS. 59 



oiitswim her pursuers. Iii one or two instances a chase of this sort could be traced 

 for a half mile or more out to sea by the dolphin leaps of the animals as they rose 

 above the surface to breathe. These instances were chietly to be seen late in June, 

 before the baud of seals oft' the rookery front was large enough to furnish protection 

 to the departing cows. 



METHODS OF DISCIPLINE. 



In the ordinary discipline of the harem a growl from the bull usually (juiets the 

 cows. This growl is also forthcoming when the cows quarrel among themselves, as 

 they frequently do. kSonietimes it is necessary for the bull to get up and quiet them 

 by chuckling and scolding over them, apparently in a tone of remonstrance. 



At times, even when his cows are all asleep, the bull rouses himself up and by 

 encircling his harem and whistling, chuckling, and snarling starts the cows u]) and 

 crowds them together. No apparent reason for such action can be seen. It seems on 

 the face of it an unnecessary exhibition of authority, which, however, may serve some 

 purpose. Having rounded up his harem, the bull may return to his favorite sleeping 

 spot to resume his naj), or he may pick a quarrel with his neighbor. 



THE FIGHTING OF THE BULLS. 



At times the young bulls, in attempting to reach the rear of the rookeries without 

 going ai'ound, break through the line of harems. Their entrance into the rookery 

 confines sets everything in an uproar. Each bull into whose donmin becomes attacks 

 the intruder and passes him along to the next. Occasionally some over-valiant bull 

 goes too far from his harem. The idle bulls are on the alert and seize the occasion to 

 carry oft' cows. In very rare instances an idle bull may step in and take the whole 

 harem, whipi)ing out its rightful owner when he attempts to return. So, over the 

 whole section of the rookery thus stirred up, fighting ensues and confusion reigns. 

 In the height of the Ijreeding season such incidents are of hourly occurrence. 



THE EARLY FIGHTING OVERESTIMATED. 



It is in the height of the season, and then alone, that the excessive fighting 

 among the bulls occurs. It has been currently supposed that from the jjeriod of the 

 landing of the first bulls they were engaged in defending their positions in bloody 

 battles; that a truce resulting from these first contests for )>laces was gradually 

 established; that this was broken on the arrival of the first cows, when a period of 

 desperate and spasmodic fighting began. 



Such, however, was not the case in 1897, and has probably never been the case. 

 As the bulls spend the days, after the breeding season is over, in resting and sleeping 

 in good fellowship on the sand beaches, so they seem to spend the period of waiting, 

 l)rior to the arrival of the cows, in sleeping and resting. At the time of our landing 

 at St. George, on June 7, it could not be determined from the deck of the vessel, 

 anchored but a few rods oft' the rookery, whether it was occupied or not. With a 

 glass a few bulls could be seen. On close inspection the beach was found to contain 

 180 adult bulls evenly distributed over the rookery territory. When disturbed they 

 roused up and roared both at the intruder and at one another; but they soon returned 

 to their sleep. There was no commotion, no excitement. When pressed too closely 

 they gave evidence of willingness to yield their ground. No test of whether they could 



