336 THE PUR SEALS OF THE PRIBII-OF ISLANDS. 



Thirty other sealion pups are seen ou auotlier locky shelf. They are very lieavily 

 built and have long noses. One has several bad cuts. They swim ratlier clumsily 

 yet. The sea-lion cows lie out in the surf aud beHow and groan. They are usually 

 together in groups of three or four. 



The sealion rookery of the west side was also visited. A bull and !1 cows 

 plunge into the water on sight of us. Tliey swim about bellowing witli fear. Tlic 

 pups, as large as yearling seals, remain ou the rocks and bleat. Their color is a ricii 

 brown ; that of the adults a ricb creamy white. The pups are shiny, with rolls of fat 

 under the skin, and lie huddled on the rocks where the spray breaks. 



One element at least in the extinction of tlie great Sivntch (Eumetopiax stellcri) 

 is the superfluity of bulls, that fight with tremendous force. Behind the two sea-lion 

 rookeries were some 12 dead pups, nearly as large as yearling seals, high on the rocks. 

 Jacob Kochuten says that they were killed by lighting bulls, which must be the 

 case.' Three of them were crushed under great stones weighing 50 to 100 pounds 

 each, "kicked up by bulls," according to Jacob. Certainly they were not thrown on 

 them by the surf. Two or three others had bled pools of blood from their noses, which 

 points to crushing ratlier than drowning as a cause of death. ^ 



One Sivutch pup recently dead seems emaciated, as though it had starved to 

 death. Its skiu is saved for museum purposes. 



MOIMOVI RdUKKRY. 



Up to a certain point in polygamy, the less bulls the more i>ui)s. The wise 

 breeder would not turn a herd of 100 fighting bulls into a herd of 100 cows. 



I go to the windward side of ."iOO sleeping bachelors and not far away. So long- 

 as I go quietly they pay no attention. 1 do not believe much in the acuteuess of their 

 sense of smell. If a man does not move, they care no more for him than for a sea lion. 

 I sit down on a log within two rods of the harems and the cows pay no attention to 

 me. The bull was much disturbed by )ny approach, but lies down and pauts. The 

 half bulls and idle bulls i)ant loudly on the drives, but the bulls always pant, even 

 while going aliout their domestic duties. 



Three water bulls come up behind me out of curiosity. These water bulls are 

 very inquisitive. But no one is alarmed while I remain (pxiet, though on the wind- 

 ward side. It is the rushing of the half bulls into the harems that causes most of 

 the commotion. The old bulls promptly collar them and throw them out. 



One stray pup among the bachelors is cut in the rump, as though bitten. He is 

 growing poor, but is sturdy and (juarrelsome and wants no nonsense. I have to leave 

 him to starve. A dead seal pup lies beside two dead sealion pups, far from any 

 rookery. Probably tossed up by the surf alter death. 



Seven more dead i)ups are on the sand beach further on, with 3 more sealion pu])s 

 and a half bull. All have jirobably been washed in by the surf from tlu^ neigliboiing 

 hai-ems. Three small dead pups were seen on the slope of Hutchinson Hill. One lay 

 among the bachelors not emaciated. One dead \>\\p was seen at the edge of the 

 harems to the north of the Hill. 



' It romaius yet to be determined wlietlier these dead jmps ^yere not Ivilled by the worm, 

 I'lidndria. This aea-lion rookery occujiies a sandy area in part. The pnps liere were too long dead 

 iu 1897 to determine tlie cause of death. 



•' Bleediuf; at tlie nose may be i-ause<l by I'luiiniiia. 



