496 APPENDIX TO COUNTER-CASE OF GREAT BRITAIN. 



twenty cows for each bull, there were enongh bulls on this rookery to serve 2,000 

 cows more than were tliere. This is assuming that all were of an age and condi- 

 tion that fitted them ior service. Many of them showed the "grey wig," which 

 proved them to be not yet fully grown, while others were without doubt worn out 

 old bulls, no longer fit for service. That the majority of them were in this condition 

 is proved by the fact that though attempts at service by "grey wigs" were 

 141 not infrequent, 1 never saw one of tlaese old bulls pay the slightest attention to 

 any females tliat might pass near them. At Zapadnie rookery (3rd .Inly), Mr, 

 Brown, Mr. Towusend, and I noticed on several occasions a cow escape from a harem 

 and lie down at some distance l)ehind it, but in only one instance was any notice 

 paid them by bulls near by. In this one instance the cow endeavoured in many ways 

 to attract an oUl bull's attention, rubbing lior nose against his, and stril<iug him 

 playfully witli her flijipers; he made some faint response, but after a minute or two 

 lay down and went to sleep again. Two other bulls lying near them raised their 

 heads once or twice to observe what was going on, but no attempt was made to serve 

 the female. 



There were in 1892, in my opinion, more old bulls without cows in the vicinity of 

 the rookeries at North-east Point than tlie combined numlier on all the other rook- 

 eries. At Tolstoi rookery (3rd July) but one old bull without a harem could be 

 detected at the south end of the breeding-ground, where a good view can be had of 

 a great part of the rookery. 



On St. George Island there were, in proportion to the total number of seals, even 

 fewer bulls than on St. Paul Island. On the 15th July there were not a dozen along 

 the whole extent of North rookery, and but two were seen at Little East rookery, 

 and two at East rookery. Zapadnie was visited the next day, and not a dozen were 

 to be seen there. 



So many statements have been published to the effect that old bulls without 

 harems are always to be found in large numbers near bi-eeding-grounds, that it 

 would seem thnt the rookeries on St. Paul Island are nearer their normal coudition 

 than those on St. George. 



Fuj>8 Sivimming. 



The first pups I saw swimming in 1892 were in the water in front of North rookery 

 on St. (ileorge Island the 18th July. The day was bright and warm, and the tide at 

 the time of "my visit was just beginning to flow. A great many pups were playing in 

 the pools among the rocks near the edge of the sea; in one place there were forty 

 or fifty together, and in many others more than half that number, while all along 

 the shore the young seals were in little groups of from three to ten. No old seals 

 were near them but those swimming about in the water and those going to and 

 coming from it. As the tide came in some of the pu])S slowly retreated, but many 

 of them remained among the rocks until the water was some distance beyond them. 

 They played about in much the same way as holluschickie do, and swam from one 

 rock to another and back many times with no appreciable interval of rest. I, neither 

 at this time nor on any other occasion, saw an old seal attempt to teach a pup to 

 swim, nor carry it to the water, nor did I ever see anything that would lead me 

 to suppose that pups learned to swim; on the contrary, a ynip cut from its mother 

 can swim for a long time. Ten days later these pups hail increased considerably in 

 size, and were swinuning and playing about in the water in great numbers, seeming 

 as much at home there as the older seals did; a few of them were 50 or CO yards 

 from the shore diving without apparent effort through the large waves that were 

 coming in. 



Early in August pups had begun to haul-out with the liolluschickie on the north 

 side of Lukanuon rookery nearly a mile from the rookery, and by the middle of that 

 month a great many were to be seen far from the rookery groun<ls.* They were, of 

 course, in greatest numbers in front of and near Lukannon, Ketavie, and K'eef rook- 

 eries, but they extended in an unbroken line from Lukannon to the landing-]»lace at 

 the village, in places mixed with holluschickie, but very fre(|Uintly there were no 

 older seals near them. At Hlack Blutt' and between Zoltoi Saiids and the village land- 

 ing-place large bands of pups swam about from place to place or hauled-ont on the 

 rocks and saiid. It does not seem possible or probable that the mother seals could 

 find their own young ones among so many and at such a distance from tlie breediug- 

 grouud, and during the whole time I was on the Pribyloii" Islands I never saw a 

 female seal suckle a young one except on a rookery. 



From the time pups first go into the water they are to be seen with pieces of sea- 

 weed in their mouths, and there is no reason for doubting that from this time until 

 they leave the island at least a considerable portion of their food is com]iosed of sea- 

 weed picked up along the shore or in the waters adjacent to it. Mr. Elliott sayst 



* See Elliott. ~~ 



t "Our Arctic Province," pp. 330, 331. 



