458 THE FUR SEALS OF THE PBIBILOF ISLANDS. 



who have served but one or two cows. The decline of sex is probably seasonal, the 

 young bulls holding desire later because it is imperfectly differentiated.^ 



CONTRAST WITH COMMANDER ROOKERIES, 



Looking at our seals again after returning from Medni Island, I notice these 

 differences: The color as noted, also form. In addition the pups are larger and 

 stronger here. There is here a very much smaller number of starving and starved 

 ones, and those which are starving are larger in size because they are older when they 

 begin to starve. This is because there is no close season at Komandorski. The bulls, 

 both young and old, are much more numerous on St. Paul. There are many young 

 bulls still here, and rookery afi'airs are still going on under charge of these young 

 fellows. I only saw about 15 males altogether on Palata and Zapalata rookeries. 

 There are probably hundreds on Kitovi and Lukanin, there being fairly constituted 

 harems everywhere. The females seem more fierce and disposed to resent approach 

 than early in the season. They will not drive easily, and often move directly toward 

 any person standing between them and the sea. 



The young 4, 5, and 6 year old bulls on the Eeef seem now full of activity, and 

 while more cowardly, show all the qualities of males in the spring. They hold cows 

 back from the sea, fight each other, growl, snort, and shake their heads just like old 

 bulls. They seem to have well-ordered harems. Very few of the old bulls remain, but 

 the young ones thoroughly take their places. 



Some 6-year-olds seem very capable and in good physical condition. Perhaps 

 they are late arrivals. Perhaps they have been away to feed and have returned. The 

 cows show less respect for the brevet bulls, often snarling at them and at each other. 

 Cows seem more snappish now than earlier in the season. 



Evidently the pup, not the bull, determines the location of the cow. A bull 

 tries ineffectively to round up his cows, but extends his attempts over the entire 

 neighborhood, since the original harems are broken up. 



ARDIGTJBN. 



A's place is vacant; in it are 3 cows and many pups; all asleep. In B's place is 

 a young bull asleep, with no cows. Behind A's place is a sleeping black bull, 

 probably one from behind; no cows. C has no bull; 8 old cows; many pups; no 

 young cows about. The pups are plump and large. 



The gully is full of old cows with pups. Three freshly dead pups are now to be 

 seen; a few more are starving; but most are very plump. About half the pups are 

 wet; no wet cows. No bulls below except wet fellows by the sea. Some wet cows 

 come in ; they move very slowly. One cow floods the place with urine. 



A young bull with 6 young cows lies well back from the mouth of the slide on the 

 plain. Another bull is behind him. There is much excrement of cows and bull on 

 the rookeries. A wet cow climbs to C; she calls loudly and i>up comes at once. The 

 rear edge of the whole Eeef rookery is now lined with hundreds of yearling cows more 



1 Later observations contradict this. When the bulls returned at intervals during the latter part 

 of September and in October, as many of them did, to the breeding grounds, they gave every evidence 

 of sexual vigor, and were not only able but willing to serve cows. Live spermatozoa were found in 

 one of these bulls killed late in October. 



