158 MABINE 3IA3IMALS OF THE NOBTH-WESTERN COAST. 



"Many of the females, on their arrival, appear desirous of returning to some 

 particular male, and frequently climb the outlying rocks to overlook the rookeries, 

 calling out, and listening as if for a familiar voice. Then changing to another 

 place, they do the same again, until some 'bachelor' seal, swimming in the water, 

 approaches and drives her on shore, often compelling her to land against her will. 

 Here comes in the duty of the 'bachelor' seals. They swim all day along the 

 shore, escorting and driving the females on to the rocks as fast as they arrive. 

 As soon as a female reaches the shore, the nearest male goes down to meet her, 

 making meanwhile a noise like the clucking of a hen to her chickens. He bows 

 to her and coaxes her, until he gets between her and the water, so that she can 

 not escape him. Then his manner changes, and with a harsh growl he drives her 

 to a place in his harem. This continues until the lower row of harems is nearly 

 full. Then the males higher up select the time when their more fortunate neigh- 

 bors are off their guard, to steal their wives. This they do by taking them in 

 their mouths and lifting them over the heads of the other females, and carefully 

 l^lacing them in their own harem, carrying them as cats do their kittens. Those 

 still higher up pursue the same method, until the whole space is occupied. Fre- 

 quently a struggle ensues between two males for possession of the same female, and 

 both seizing her at once, pull lior in two, or terriljly lacerate her with their teeth. 

 When the space is all filled, the old male walks around, complacently reviewing his 

 family, scolding those who crowd or disturb the others, and fiercely driving off all 

 intruders. This surveillance always keeps him actively occupied. In two or three 

 days after landing, the females give birth to one pup each, weighing about six 

 pounds. It is entirely black, and retains this color for the whole season. The 

 young are quite vigorous, even at birth, nursing very soon after they are born. 

 The mother manifests a strong attachment for her own offspring. 



"In a few days after the Ijirth of the young, the female is ready for inter- 

 course with the male. She now becomes solicitous of his attentions, and extends 

 herself on the rocks before him. Owing to the position of the genital organs, how- 

 ever, coition on land seems to be not the natural method, and only rarely, perhaps 

 in three cases out of ten, is the attempt to copulate under such circumstances 

 effectual. In the meantime, the four and five year old males are in attendance along 

 the shore. When the jealous lord is off his guard, or engaged in driving away a 

 rival, a female will slip into the water, and an attentive 'bachelor' seal follows her 

 some distance from shore. Then, breast to breast, they embrace each other, turning 

 alternately for each other to breathe, the act of copulation sometimes continuing 

 from five to eight minutes. When the female again returns to the shore, she is 



