442 MR. T. f . A, umo ON the 



paii-ed. The bulls of tlie same age were naturally the smallest in 

 the herds, but had outst)-ipped the females in growth by as much 

 as three feet in length. Like their older confreres they were 

 excited by the pairing instinct, fighting furiously with one 

 another Avhen the call of the dams was sensed by them. When 

 only five months old these young males had been seen playing at 

 pairing, on their return to the beaches after their first voyage of 

 recuperation under the guardianship of their sires. Their seniors, 

 however, also indulged in this habit, but seldom troubled a 

 female seal, attempted overtures being promptly and indignantly 

 repulsed. 



The dams had produced their pups about the 27th of September; 

 their fecundation took place about the 16th of October, and they 

 would again give birth to their youngsters about th(5 27th of 

 September the following year. The period of gestation is thus 

 about 49 to 50 weeks. 



On the 2nd of November the slaughter of the seals was ordered 

 to begin, those at Swain's Haulover and in Seelhorst Harbour to 

 be spared for further observation purposes, and the men were 

 also ordered to spare all dams. The pups were almost bursting 

 with fat, and most of them had changed into silver-grey coats ; 

 whilst the mother-seals . were emacia,ted from suckling their 

 youngsters ; but the bulls were in first-class condition. By the 

 8th of the month the dams began to abandon their pups, having 

 produced them about the 27th of September. Thus the period 

 of lactation lasts about six weeks. 



.In the season of 1909-10 the Elephant-Seals were observed to 

 leave the beaches, and return about the same dates as during the 

 season of 1908-9 ; and be it noted, as in thetwo following whaling 

 seasons, only 82 Cetaceans were captured in 1910, and about 

 the same number in 1911-12, the Kerguelen Whaling Co. would 

 have been obliged to go into liquidation but for the "successful" 

 sealing of those seasons. Eut as a consequence, in 1913, there 

 would only be a small remnant of Elephant-Seals left to repro- 

 duce themselves. How far this i-emnant has succeeded in 

 recovering — if it has been able to recover — during the decennium 

 which has passed since the slaughter of the animals ceased, is 

 difficult to conjecture. It is by no means improbable that the 

 existence of these seals has been jeopardised through the strain 

 which the stock has sufi'ered during three seasons' intense hunting, 

 as all the large and virile bulls would have been killed on account 

 of the greater yield of blubber from such individuals. Con- 

 sequently only young bulls would be left, and the offspring of 

 such animals, deficient in virility, would be of an inferior stamina 

 compared with the old, extinct stock. It was seen by us that as 

 much as 35 per cent, of the pups in a harem succumbed to the 

 dangers of the first voyage of migration, and the percentage will 

 be much greater with seals of inferior stamina and vitality. 

 Although the capture of the animals would cease automatically 



