IIO The American Naturalist. [February, 
begin to arrive ; for no sooner is the pretty animal fairly estab- 
lished on the station of bull number one, when bull number two, 
seeing bull number one off his guard, reaches out with his long, 
strong neck and picks the unhappy but passive creature up by the 
scruff of hers, just as a cat does a kitten, and deposits her on his 
seraglio ground; then bulls numbers three, four, etc., in the 
vicinity, seeing this high-handed operation, all assail one another, 
and especially bull number two, and have a tremendous fight, per- 
haps for half a minute or so, and during this commotion the cow 
generally is moved or moves farther back from the water, two or 
three stations more, where, when all gets quiet, she usually re- 
mains in peace.” 
Allen also quotes Captain Bryant as follows: “ Frequently 
a struggle ensues between the two males for the possession 
of the same female, and, both seizing her at once, pull her 
in two or terribly lacerate her with their teeth.” 
It is evident that the more easily and quickly the females 
can be moved the better for them, as they are thus more likely 
to avoid being lacerated by the males, either in being stolen from 
one by another, or in being fought over as described in the last 
quotation. If this is true, the lighter females would be less likely 
to be injured by the savage males, and hence the heavier ones 
would be weeded out by a natural selection, which by its com 
stant action would go far toward accounting for the great sexual 
disparity exhibited by these animals. 
The remaining fact demanding explanation is the wonderful 
ability of the male sea lions to endure long-protracted fasts. On 
this point Mr. Elliott says that they “abstain entirely from food 
_ of any kind or water for three months at least, and a few of thet 
stay four months before going into the water for the first time — 
since hauling up in May.” a 
“ This alone is remarkable enough, but it is simply wonderful 
when we associate the condition with the increasing activity, reste 
lessness, and duty devolving upon the bulls as heads and father x 
of large families. They do not stagnate, like bears 1n jose ioe 
It seems highly probable that this astonishing ability to «n°™ 
