COUNT OF LITTLE EAST KOOKEKY. 295 



be nearer the correet ttj^aie tor this rookery. This would j;:ive tor this rookery a total 

 of from I'td to 177 harems ami from 2,700 to .'>,000 cows.' 



Ou comparison, with Mr. Towiiseud's maps of last year, this rookery shows in 

 several places a shrinkage. Compared with Mr. True's estimate of last year, the 

 barems thus counted by us on North rookery show practically the same average. His 

 total of 5,5l'8 cows counted for 342 hareras gives an average of about IS. The total 

 of 1,413 cows for 78 harems gives an average of 18 also. (Lucas.) 



The pups are podding, i. e. gathering in little groups away from the harems. 

 From their number, one would judge that no cow failed of impregnation last season 

 through lack of virility ou the part of the bulls. A harem counted last night contained 

 43 cows; it contained the same number to-day and at least 40 pups. From their 

 abundance it would seem that nearly ;ill pups are born.- Xo dead pups are seen: 1 

 pup seen to nurse. ^Lucas. ) 



One small harem was located in the path frequented by the bachelors in reaching 

 their hauling grounds. A number of idle bulls, and some half bulls, were holding 

 positions at the foot of the runway and others were hanging about the rear of the 

 rookery; some were very bold. Many of the bulls were active and vicious. One 

 chai'ged 20 feet at an outlying idle bull. A bull lying at the top of the clifl', having a 

 cow and pup, charged a considerable distance at Dr. Stejneger. Three bulls were 

 observed to copulate; time, 0, 6. and 5 minutes, respectively. (Lucas.) 



LITTLE EAST ROOKERY. 



Little East rookery is located ou a surface strewn with blocks of bowlder lava. 

 It lies back on a gradual slope formed by the breaking down of the cliffs, which 

 everywhere, between the rookery and the village, rise perpendicular from the water. 



The following detailed count of harems and cows was made by Dr. Jordan : 



Detailed count of Little East rookery. 



Total cows 355 



Total harems 27 



ATerage size of harem 13 4- 



A duplicate count made by Mr. < "lark gave substantially the same results. 



A group of 78 cows contained - bulls, and another of 60 cows contained 4 bulls. 

 These could not be separated into harems. The bulls seemed to have reached some 

 sort of an understanding and were holding the females in common. 



'The results of this louiit, when compari'il with that madf on July 31 by Coloiu'I Miiiray, in 

 company with Mr. Lucas, which showed 22.") harems, seems to give warrant for the belief afterwarils 

 arrived at, that the original counts on St. (;eor>;e were made before the rookeries had attained their 

 maximum. The iuTestigations of 18!(7, however, showed that the count late in July was still less 

 relialjle, the real status of the rookery lying somewhere between the two counts. 



-Lat<-r it was found that the pujis exceeded the cows two to cue: but at this time the tuiTeut 

 notiou that all, or practically all, the cows were present was shared in by us. 



