59 



old place, and seems to control 18 cows; they are very much scattered. When last 

 seen, X was in the outer edge of C's harem, on the flat. He has evidently tbnj;ht his 

 way down the slide or else has been thrown down by bulls B and C. 



" The water bull Z seems to be comfortably settled with three cows. It lends dig- 

 nity even to an undersized bull to gi\e him a harem to take care of. E has 9 cows; 

 F has 5. There seems to be a bull in (J's place — perhaps he is himself back — with 10 

 cows. 



"As we go round to the end of the reef the cows in C and B are frightened and 

 stampede down the 'slide.' In ten minutes a h:ilf dozen are l>ack on the flat. 

 Doubtless all will be back in a shcrt time. Y has disappeared. 



"Jiif/iifit 6. — B is down off the flat in the slide with 7 cows. He has evidently 

 been down there siuce the time he and C were stampeded. C is on the flat still 

 with 24 cows. A has 6 cows under the bank. There is a new bull from the top in a 

 position between B's old place and A's original ])lace. He has 3 cows. Y has 6 cows. 

 X is down in the slide with 6 cows. The water bull Z has Ijeen diiven out. 



"Jiif/ii-^t 9. — A is on his shelf, active and very ban; 8 or 10 cows. 'I'he old green- 

 backed cow, often referred to, is there. 15 is in his place with 2 cows. (' is active and 

 holds 16. X is below A, with pups about him and 4 cows near. A new bull, very 

 black, is in A's old place. Z is back with 4 cows, one very affectionate, lazily biting 

 him. Eleven cows scattered below X. D is active, with some 10 cows or iiu)re. F is 

 fast asleep with 2. E is out, and (i. Theie are 31 bulls, not more than half seemingly 

 old timers, on the whole of Ardiguen. There are 189 cows present, and 434 pnps. 

 This count, however, is not likely to be linal. as it was made from the top of the bank, 

 and there may be a large number of pups and a few cows hidden. 



"Arduguen presents extremely favorable conditions for pups, there being a])par- 

 ently only 2 dead pujis in the entire region. No bachelors run down in this slide, 

 which is well ])rovided with angular rocks. There is no hauling ground at Ardiguen, 

 its bacbelors going around on the i)arade ground of the reef. 



"Three young bulls are still waiting patiently behind. Many of the cows in the 

 harems are young females. 



"Ai((/iiiit 15. — Fifty females in one harem, and two new harems started, presided 

 over by 5-year-old bulls. The bull in charge of principal harem seems as active as 

 ever — an old fellow. The original harems can not be distinguished. 



"The gully leading <lown to the water is full of seals and ]iups. I do not notice 

 any dead ])ups, for this liighway to the sea is strewn with angular bowlders. 



"While many of the seals jireseut are 2-year-olds, still there are old cows present 

 which I'rom their actions may not have been iiregnated as yet. Many of the cows 

 are white and fresh looking. 



"jliigast ..'3. — But 1 bull, the oldest (C), is left of the harems at the head of the 

 slide. A light rain is falling, and this part of rookery is deserted. The cows call 

 their pups, but do not always take care to selei-t a good spot for nursing. One cow 

 sits on the rock in water where the sea at times washes completely over nursing pup. 



"The young bull at the head of the slide is gone. Tlie old bull seems to pay court 

 to but 1 cow, and that the 2-year old. In fact, the 2-year olds are almost the only 

 cows now looked after. 



" I'rom the way the pups play in and by the water it is more and more evident 

 tliat we may get but a small proportion of starvelings; many will be drowned and, 

 with others, may be washed away.'" (F. A. L.) 



"Septembers. — A's place is vacant; in it are Scows and many pups; all asleep. In 

 B's place is a young bull asleep; no cows. Behind A's place is a slee])ing black 

 bull, probably one from behind; no cows. C has no bull; 8 old cows; many ]>ui)8; 

 no young cows about. Pnps plumj) and large. 



"The gully is full of old cows with i)nps. Three pups are now <lead; a few 

 more iire starving; Init most are very jdnmp. About half the ])ups are wet; no wet 

 cows. No bulls below except wet fellows by the sea Some wet cows come in ; they 

 move very slowly. One cow floods the place with urine. 



"A young bull with 6 young cows lies well back from the month of the slide on 

 the plain. Another bull is behind him. 



"There is much excrement of cows and bull on the rookeries. 



"A wet cow climbs to C; she calls loudly and pup comes at once. 



"The rear edge of the whole Reef Rookery is now lined with hundreds of year- 

 ling cows more or less associated with harems of 2-year-ol(ls, which are guarded by 

 young bulls. The rookery extends far back from the sea. The starving pups are 

 all game to the last. Some starving ones are grouped about, good for a week or so 

 yet. Some starved dead ones are also to be seen ; but these are not numerous as yet 

 on the Reef. 



''September 6. — Mr. Lucas counts 4 additional starved pups, making in all 15 to the 

 present time. These have died within a week. 



