APPENDIX TO COUNTER-GASE OP GREAT BRITAIN. 477 



often observable that while females 

 are landing in great numbers they 

 come in heat faster than the males 

 on the rookeries can cover them. 

 In such cases some of the females 

 break away and escape into tlie 

 water to meet fresher and more 

 vigorous mates. It is in this way 

 that the class of young males of 4 

 or 5 years of age perform a most 

 important service. 



"Since 1874, owing to the de- 

 crease in the number of breeding 

 males, a much larger proportion 

 of the females receive the males in 

 the water, so that on any still day 

 after the 20th July, by taking a 

 canoe and going a little oft" shore, 

 considerable numbers may be seen 

 pairing, and readily approached 

 so near as to be fully observed. 

 They are then found in single pairs, 

 swimming in circles, sometimes the 

 one, sometimes the other leading. 

 They come together in approacli- 

 ing the surface from below, the 

 male shooting on to the back of 

 the lemale, and firmly clasping her 

 between his fore-Hippers. The 

 time of contact is shorter than ou 

 laud, not exceeding five minutes, 

 but the operation is repeated two 

 or three times at intervals of fif- 

 teen or twenty minutes." — ("Mon- 

 ograph of North American Pinni- 

 peds," pp. 405, 406.) 



"While suflieiently developed to 

 be fully able to serve the females, 

 they lack the physical strength to 

 successfully contend for a place on 

 the rookery. They haul up with 

 the bachelors at night, but during 

 the day are in the water swimmi ug 

 along the shore of the rookery, 

 always ou the alert for the females 

 that seek the water as above stated. 

 On meeting them they immedi- 

 ately accompany them to a little 

 distance from the shore, and then 

 perform the act of coition. The 

 females, after remaining for a short 

 time in the water, again return 

 to the shore to their foruier 

 places. The old males, finding 

 they have been served, express 

 their disgust in a most evident 



