SEA-ELEPHANTS 307 



and drag the hind-flippers in a limp condition. In spite of their bulkiness and 

 the awkwardness of their movements, they are able to crawl considerable distances 

 inland, frequently reaching situations of at least 600 yards from the water, and in 

 some cases from 40 to 60 feet above sea-level. When in these resorts, the old 

 bulls frequently raise their bodies to such a height that the fore-flippers are 

 completely above the level of the ground, this being done in order to obtain a 

 view above the tussocks of grass. When irritated by the approach of a human 

 being these old bulls will often raise themselves to a still greater height, the body 

 resting on the pelvic region alone, and the whole fore part being lifted vertically, 

 so that the front flippers are midway between the head and the part resting on 

 the ground. Nevertheless, they are generally too lazy to attack the intruder, 

 although a direct frontal approach on the part of the latter may be dangerous. 

 When an attack is made, it is straightforward, and an alert man can consequently 

 generally escape by jumping quickly to one side. On the other hand, an old bull 

 is exceedingly nimble in spinning round on his axis in teetotum fashion. 



The following are the exact words in which this curious movement is 

 described by the naturalist to the Discovery Antarctic expedition : — " When brought 

 to bay on land by treading on some portion of the tail-flippers, the animal swings 

 round the hinder portion of its body and shows a threatening front with its open 

 mouth. The motion is very characteristic, both ends are off the ground at the 

 same moment, the hind-flippers and tail swinging high into the air, while the head 

 and neck are reared up, and the animal edges itself into a frontal position with 

 the help of its fore-limbs and a kind of backward shuffle." It is also stated that 

 when a male asleep on the shore was approached the animal suddenly awoke and 

 raised himself well up on his fore-limbs so as to present his broad, blunt muzzle 

 to the party. 



Although the old bulls will apparently lie for weeks with their partners on 

 the high tussocky ground without once returning to the sea, it appears that, as a 

 rule, they are strictly monogamous. On a certain occasion, however, two cows 

 were seen in company with one bull. When two bulls fight, they first puff out 

 their necks, inflate their trunks, and open their huge mouths to their fullest 

 extent, after the manner described in the account of Lord Anson's voyages. Next, 

 they elevate their bodies nearly into the position described above, although not to 

 quite so great a degree, and almost immediately afterwards throw themselves 

 forwards against one another, trying to fix their powerful tusks in the head or 

 neck. If they succeed in this, large pieces of skin, or skin and flesh, are torn off, 

 leaving huge gaping wounds, which, however, soon heal. With much roaring the 

 fight is continued till one of the combatants feels himself defeated, and commences 

 to retire — never pursued by the victor. 



The following additional particulars, obtained during the visit of the United 

 States surveying vessel Albatross in March 1911, with regard to the sea-elephants 

 on Guadalupe Islands will be of interest. When the vessel had come to its 

 moorings and a boat-party had been sent on shore, a herd of one hundred and 

 twenty-five of the great seals was located on Elephant Beach. This herd consisted 

 chiefly of adult males, including not more than fifteen females, of which only half 

 a dozen were accompanied by newly born ' pups,' thus indicating that the breeding 



