CLOSE OF THE BREEDING SEASON. 67 
The yearling females doubtless come to the islands in company with the 2-year 
olds, but do not put in an appearance on the rookeries much before September, at the 
time when the pups of the year are able to swim well and begin to make their first 
excursions about the islands. For the rest of the season these young seals spend their 
time playing among the pups and ranging like privileged characters over the rookeries. 
That they do not, as has been supposed, frequent the hauling grounds with, the 
males is doubtless due to the fact that these would. annoy them, for the instinct of 
rounding up a harem and lording it over others is early developed in the young 
male. A young yearling male may frequently be seen rounding up a pod of sleeping 
or resting pups with all the gusto of an adult. The pups themselves not infrequently 
attempt the same thing with their fellows. 
THE BREAKING UP OF THE BREEDING SEASON. 
As has already been said, about the 25th of July the old harem bulls, that have 
fasted since the first of May, begin to leave and seek the feeding grounds. As they 
withdraw, their places are taken by the idle bulls. This class of males does not locate 
definitely on the breeding grounds much before the arrival of the cows. They have, 
therefore, fasted a shorter period and are able to remain out the season. 
By the 5th to the 10th of August all the able-bodied adult bulls have gone, and 
the younger bulls, together with the bachelors, flock over the breeding grounds, 
The bachelors have, during the breeding season, been strictly excluded from the rook- 
eries, but with the departure of the bulls they take advantage of their new freedom, 
and mingling with the cows and pups, they round up mimic harems and make them- 
selves generally at home. In a few weeks, however, the novelty of the situation 
wears off, and the bachelors return to their favorite lounging places on the sand 
beaches. 
THE CONDITION OF THE BULLS. 
Much has been said of the wasted and broken condition of the harem masters as 
they leave the islands after their long fast. It is true that they become reduced in 
condition from their earlier state, but they are by no means so reduced or broken in 
spirit as they are reported. During the season of 1897, in counting the pups on the 
several rookeries it was necessary to enter them late in July or early in August and 
turn off the adults into the water. These so-called weak and emaciated bulls were 
found not only able but willing to fight us or one another to the last. In many cases 
they could not be moved at all any more than in the height of the season. This was at 
a time when these animals must many of them have been without food or water for at 
least two months, Our experience taught us that so long as an adult bull is on the 
breeding ground there is fight and courage enough in him to make him master of the 
situation; it is when the breeding season is over and he has removed to the sand 
beaches that he becomes tame and tractable. 
The harem bulls on their first departure seek the feeding grounds and by the first 
of September return, some of them to their former places on the rookeries, where they 
plainly show their rejuvenation by their renewed combativeness, and also by their 
efforts to round up and monopolize such cows as still remain about. Most of them, 
however, haul out on the great beaches along North Shore, English Bay, and Lukanin, 
to sleep during tlie rest of the season, going to and coming from the feeding grounds 
as they feel like it. 
