EARED-SEALS. 499 



flush and prime of his first maturity, six or seven years old, and 

 full grown. When it comes up from the sea early in the spring, 

 out to its station for the breeding-season, we have an animal 

 before us that will measure 6^ to 7^ feet in length from tip 

 of nose to end of its abbreviated, abortive tail. It will weigh at 

 least 400 pounds, and I have seen older specimens much more 

 corpulent, which in my best judgment, could not be less than 

 600 pounds in weight. The head of this animal now before us, 

 appears to be disproportionately small in comparison with the 

 immensely thick neck and shoulders ; but as we come to examine 

 it we will find it is mostly all occupied by the brain. The light 

 framework of the skull supports an expressive pair of large 

 bluish hazel eyes, alternately burning with revengeful passionate 

 light, then suddenly changing to the tones of tenderness and good 

 nature. It has a muzzle and jaws of about the same size and 

 form observed in any full-blooded Newfoundland dog, with this 

 difference, that the lips are not flabby and overhanging ; they are 

 firmly lined and pressed against one another as our own. The 

 upper lip supports a yellowish- white and gray moustache, composed 

 of long, stiff bristles, and when it is not torn out and broken ofi" 

 in combat, it sweeps down and over the shoulders as a luxuriant 

 plume. Look at it as it comes leisurely swimming on towards the 

 land ; see how high above the water it carries its head, and how 

 deliberately it surveys the beach after having stepped upon it 

 (for it may be truly said to step with its fore-flippers, as they 

 regularly alternate when it moves up), carrying the head well 

 above them, erect and graceful, at least three feet from the 

 ground." 



The first to arrive at the " rookeries," as the breeding-grounds 

 are called, are generally the strong adult males and oldest bulls. 

 These rookeries are situated on the shore in the space between the 

 high-water line and the foot of the cliffs. 



In the beginning of June, "the seal- weather— the foggy, 

 humid, oozy damp of summer — sets in ; and with it, as the gray 

 banks roll up and shroud the islands, the bull-seals swarm from 

 the depths by hundreds and thousands, and locate themselves in 

 advantageous positions for the reception of the females, which 



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