THE FUR-SEAL ISLANDS OF ALASKA. 103 



latter embrace tlie yoaiiff or bachelor males and the yearlings of both classes. Each of these classes leave the water 

 and haul np along the shores of the islands nearly in juxtaposition to each other as they are massed on the land, 

 but they are entirely separate. They choose certain portions of the siiore to the exclusion of the rest, not all of any 

 one class being together, but spreading into many communities, which are often several miles apart. 



Position of the breeding-kookeeies.— The breeding seals occupy a slip of ground, between the cliffs, 

 which is covered with bowlders and broken ro(;ks, beginning a few feet above high-water mark, and extending back 

 over a depth of from 50 to 200 feet in a compact and uniform mass. Such places are called breeding-rookeries. 



Position of the hauling-grounds.— The non-breeding seals, on the contrary, are scattered over the sand, 

 beaches and the higher ground in the rear without any regular order of distribution. When these hauling-grounds 

 lie to the rear of the breeding-grounds, as they sometimes do, pathways are left open in the rookeries at convenient 

 points, to allow a passage up from the sea and back thereto, for the non-breeding seals. 



Number of rookeries.— There are 7 rookeries on St. Paul island, extending with the adjacent hauling- 

 grounds over one-third of its shore-line, and (m St. George island there are 5 breeding places and hauling reaches, 

 which, however, take up less than one-tenth of its coast. These breeding-grounds are re-occupied each year with 

 but little change. 



Description of the landing of the seal.— About the middle of May, usually, the bulls, which are the first 

 of the breeding-seals to arrive, crawl from the water and establish the rookeries in readiness for the cows that 

 begin to come somewhat later. It seems prolmble that the rookeries are occupied by the same bulls and cows from 

 year to year, as they, the rookery grounds, change but little, either in size or form; but it has been proven 

 that the bachelors do not return to the same hauling-grounds, or even to the same island, with regularity from year 

 to year. The time of arrival of cows is governed by their period of gestation, as they do not appear on the rookeries 

 until within a short time of giving birth to their pups. Hence all do not come at the same period, but arrive 

 continuously from the last days of May until the middle of July. 



Polygamous and angry nature of the males.— The bulls are polygamous, having from 20 to 50 cows 

 each, so the number of them upon the rookeries is not more than one-tenth of that of the cows. They have frequent 

 and bloody fights for the possession and retention of their places upon the breeding-grounds, and for control of the 

 cows, in which they are often killed, or are driven from the rookeries, and are more or less badly bitten by the 

 sharp teeth of their opponents. The females do not even always escape unhurt, as two males seize one and literally 

 tear her in two by their struggle for her possession. 



Arrival of the females and birth of their young. — The cows are continuously arriving upon the 

 rookeries and giving birth to their pups, from the last of May until the middle of July. Usually each female bears 

 a single pup, though I have been told by persons, whose statement I have no reason to doubt, that they have 

 witnessed one or two instances of twins. Prom the 20th to the 25th of July the rookeries are fuller than at any 

 other time during the season, as the pups have all been bom, and all the bulls, cows, and pups remain within these 

 limits. 



Protracted fasting of the males.— During the breeding-season, which lasts three consecutive months, 

 or nearly so, the bulls remain upon the rookeries, never leaving them for an instant, even to procure food. This 

 fast, and the constant watchfulness necessary to keep their harems together, and to prevent the encroachments of 

 other bulls, and the service of the cows, renders their position no sinecure. Their emaciated bodies and loose and 

 wrinkled skins at the close of the season are in marked contrast to the fat, sleek-looking cows, for the latter have 

 been constantly going and coming between the rookeries and the water, so that at any one time there are seldom 

 more than one-half of the females on land. 



Changes at the close of the season. — About the first of August the breeding-season ends, and the pups, 

 which grow rapidly, now are large and strong enough to move about, so that the rookeries begin to lose their 

 compact form and rigid exclusiveness. The bulls begin to go into the water, their places being filled by the 

 younger males, which up to this time have not been allowed by the older males to go upon the rookeries, while the 

 cows and pups spread back over the haulings in scattered groups, and occupy more than twice the space that had 

 previously held them. 



Arrival and landing of the bachelor seals. — Meanwhile the young males or bachelor seals have been 

 coming to the hauling-grounds, which are covered more or less thickly by them all summer. They do not remain 

 on shore long at any one time, but haul up to sleep and play for awhile, and then return to the water for food. They 

 are so numerous, however, that thousands can always be seen upon the hauling-grounds, because all of them are 

 never either on shore or in the water at the same time. The yearling seals, distinguished by their size, and the 

 silvery color of their sides and abdomens, do not make their appearance until the latter part of July ; then 

 they arrive together in a great body, males and females, and go out upon the hauling-grounds in large numbers 

 and play one with the other for hours at a time. The bachelors join them in their sport, and singling out the baby 

 cows form mimic rookeries, and imitate the roaring, fighting, and caressing of the bulls in a ludicrous manner. 



Shedding of the pups and their learning to swim. — In September and October the pups exchange 

 their coat of black hair, which has been their only covering from their birth, for one of fur and hair combined, 

 similar in appearance to that of the yearling, and then begin to learn to swim, so as to be ready for their departure 



