1897-8. TRANSACTIONS. 69 



cure food from the sea it not infrequently secures nourishment 

 from other females. Several such cases have been noted by 

 me. 



When on their rookeries the seals exhibit little fear at the 

 approach of man, but as they see badly, a large moving body 

 will sometimes frighten them and cause a stampede. One 

 may approach within a few yards of them, however, if one 

 moves carefully with no undue noise and I have frequently 

 sat for hours with seals on all sides of me, old and young fre- 

 quently coming within touching distance. It was sometimes 

 necessary to drive them all from the rookery when a count of 

 dead seals was to be made, and on such occasions it was often 

 impossible to move the old bulls though clubs and stones were 

 freely used. A cow will occasionally stand as resolutely at bay 

 but no danger is to be anticipated from her. A bull will some- 

 times charge, however, and safety lies then only in fleetness 

 of foot. No blow short of one that would actually stun or kill 

 him will stop a bull that has made up his mind to vindicate 

 his supposed rights. So well is this understood that on one 

 occasion last year when we were counting pups a bull chased 

 Mr. Clarke, Dr. Jordan's assistant, and his retreat being cut 

 off he jumped from a low cliff into the sea rather than attempt 

 to defend himself against the enraged bull. 



i^ ■ The life of the young bachelor or holluschickie would be 

 a happy one were it not that throughout the whole sealing 

 season he is driven and re-driven to the killing grounds and 

 if he escapes with his life has, at least, to undergo the fatigu- 

 ing and injurious process of being driven long distances over 

 land. As I have already said, the young male seals herd 

 together, congregating in large numbers on what are called 

 hauling-grounds, either in the immediate vicinity of the breed- 

 ing rookeries or at some distance from them. Until the kill- 

 ing season begins, about June 1 5, they are unmolested, go freely 

 to and from the sea and spend their whole time in sleep and 

 play. They are known to take food during the summer, but 

 with them as with the older seals, long intervals elapse be- 

 tween meals. With the opening of the killing season their 

 troubles begin. Drives are made from all the hauling-groinids 

 every few days, from some of them almost daily. These drives 

 are made by the native Aleuts in the employ of the sealing 

 company, but under an agent of the United States Govern- 

 ment. Between midnight and 2 o'clock according to the dis- 

 tance the seals are to be driven, a party of men goes to the 



