EARED SEALS. 121 



ones will, moreover, occasionally desert the neighbourhood of the shore, and proceed 



still further inland to play among the fresh moss and grass which grows in the 



interior. These young seals do not undergo any long periods of fasting, but are 



constantly repairing to the sea at short but uncertain intervals. For instance, 



during a few dull and foggy days they may be found by hundreds of thousands on 



the hauling-grounds ; but a single warm and sunny day will drive almost the 



whole assemblage to the sea, leaving their haunts well-nigh deserted. They are 



thoroughly restless creatures, being constantly on the move ; and although very 



frolicsoine ami sportive, never seen to quarrel or fight. In the water these young 



seals distinguish themselves by their active evolutions ; frequently jumping out after 



the manner of dolphins, more especially when surprised, and in such cases turning 



their heads when in the air to catch a glimpse at the cause of their disturbance. 



Mr. Elliot adds that sea-bears of all ages " swim with groat rapidity, and may 



be fairly said to dart along with the velocity of a bird on 'the wing under the 



surface of the water; and in all their swimming I have not been able yet to 



satisfy myself how they used their long, flexible hind-feet, other than as steering 



mediums. The propelling motion, if they have any, is so rapid, that my eye is not 



quick enough to catch it ; the fore-feet, however, can be very distinctly seen to 



work, feathering forwards and sweeping back flatly, opposed to the water, with 



great rapidity and energy, and are evidently the sole propelling power." 



It appears that of the total number of sea-bears about half are 

 Capture. 



males and half females ; but some two-thirds of the former are never 



permitted by their older and stronger brethren to mix with the females, but herd 



together by themselves in the manner just described. It is these bachelor seals 



which are alone allowed to be killed in the Prybiloffs ; and it will be evident that 



their association by themselves — frequently miles away from the breeding-grounds 



— must greatly facilitate the arrangements for their slaughter. When the bachelor 



seals are assembled near the water, on some morning early in June, a small party 



of natives will run along the beach, and readily turn thousands of them inland. 



When once turned, the party is easy to manage ; and on firm or grassy ground the 



whole herd in cool weather can be driven at the rate of half a mile an hour, but 



frequent halts must be made. The weaker seals will, however, drop out from time 



to time, and are left either to recover or to perish, especially when the march is 



long ; it is therefore advisable to make the journey as short as possible. 



Arrived at the place of slaughter, the seals are herded, and allowed to rest and 

 cool ; after which they are driven off in detachments of from fifty to two hundred, 

 and knocked on the head with heavy oaken bludgeons. The work of killing and 

 skinning is carried out with great rapidity ; a party of forty -five men having 

 driven, killed, and skinned upwards of seventy-two thousand sea-bears in less than 

 four weeks during the summer of 1872. 



It has been already mentioned that the number of the sea-bears allowed to be 

 killed annually on the Prybiloffs is limited by the terms of the lease to 100,000. 

 There is, however, reason to believe that considerably more than this number are 

 killed by the natives ; and it is further asserted that the total number of sea-bears 

 visiting the islands is steadily diminishing. 



In addition to the seals killed on the Prybiloffs, a large number have of recent 



