55 



are the field notes on this rookery taken from tbe daily journal by Mr. Clark, Mr. 

 Lucas, and myself: 



"Jul)/ 14, — Neartliepointof the reef are seven or eight harems, which lie at the foot 

 of an overhanging cliff in a position favorable for observation. They will be visited 

 as frecjuently as possible. The ravine in which they are situated is steep and rather 

 deep, spreading out into a Hat tract above. It is everywhere covered with large 

 lava rocks worn smooth by the seals. The interspaces are filled with smooth gray 

 lava sand. The seven harems designated foB special study arc known in order as A, 

 B, C, D, E, F, and G. The first three are located on the level ground at the mouth of 

 the gully. The others follow in order below. 



"A coiitains an active bull, not very old, with 7 cows. One is a large gray cow 

 with a greenish tint i/t\ her coat, due probably to sea water. She is just in and not 

 yet dry. She is restless and the bull treats her very roughly, knocking her nose 

 against the ground and making it bleed. 



"The bnlfis now talking reassuringly to the cows who were alarmed on seeing rae. 

 He has a severe wound at the angle of his left fore flipper with the body. There are 

 4 pups in harem A. A pod of 16 pups are playing on the rocks between A and B. 

 There are 3 more on the rocks above A. 



"B is a larger harem. It contains 24 sleepy cows. There are 9 pups in the harem, 

 3 below and 24 playing between this harem and C. The bull in B is larger and browner 

 than tlie one in A. 



"C is a big harem on the flat rocks. The big black bull is very uneasy about a 

 young 2-year-old bachelor whom A ami B drove into his circle and who lingers there. 



"Every time the big bull gets his eyes on him he dashes after him, but his attention 

 is soon taken up with one or another of his many cows and the young fellow settles 

 down in a dift'erent place in the harem. It is extremely difficult for me to pick him 

 out among the cows, but the l)ull has no such difficulty. The cows snap listlessly at 

 him and lie is in a restless state most of the time, but seems unwilling to get away. 



"There are 42 cows in this haren\, perhaps another cow hidden. The bull has 

 been takinsanap; he wakes with a roar and the little bachelor crawls over the 

 cows, who snap at him. When the bull is quiet, the bachelor is also. The bull 

 groans as if he had hard luck. The 2-year-old crawls into the upper part of harem 

 1) and the cows all bite at him till he perches on a flat rock alone out of their reach. 



"There are about 25 pups a.sleej) in C. Some are nursing. D contains a big brown 

 bull with a long mane; 30 cows are with him and about 2.5 pups are scattered among 

 them. Thirty-four pups form a ])od between D and F, next to E. 



" H has 10 cows and a younger bull of domineering disposition. Nine pups are 

 asleep, nursing or scratching their ears, in E. 



"F contains a big bull with 4 cows, nearly out of sight, as is also (r opposite him 

 with 16 cows. Four pups are a))ont F and 20 about G, also 1 lone cow in the rocks 

 aslee]). A cow tries to leave G and go to sea; the bull seizes and carries her back 

 bodily. 



Summary of the fyjncal harems. 



"Some of the pups* must have come up from the rocks below. 



Jidil 15. — "At 3.30 a. m. the typical harems were visited. Two instances of copula- 

 tion were seen at this time. The animals were as active as in the daytime. Of the 

 pod of 38 pups 26 still remain. The harems have the same number as in the 

 afternoon. 



" In the afternoon the ' Slide ' was visited again. Two half bulls were on the rocks 

 above harem A. Harem B lies on a space about 36 by 30 feet. This would give an 

 average of 45 feet each, no account being taken of space about them. They could 



* When the count of live pups came to be made later on, it was found that the 

 disproportion was due to the absence of cows at sea. 



