284 
THE VOYAGE OF THE VEGA. 
[chap, XA^ 
to be afterwards exposed to a repetition of the trick by 
No. 3. In such cases the females are quite passive, never 
fall out with each other, and bear with patience the severe 
wounds they often get when they are pulled about by the 
combatants, now in one direction, now in another. All the 
females are finally distributed in this way after furious combats 
among the males, those of the latter who are nearest the beach 
getting from twelve to fifteen consorts to their share. Those 
that have been compelled to settle farther from the shore 
must be content with four or five. Soon after the landing of the 
females they bring forth their young, which are treated with 
great indifference and are protected by the adopted father only 
within the boundaries of the harem. Next comes the pairing 
season, and when it has passed there is an end to the arrange¬ 
ment and distribution into families at first so strictly main¬ 
tained. The seal-oxen, rendered lean by three months absolute 
fasting, by degrees leave the “ rookery,’’ which is taken possession 
of by the sea-cows, the young, and a number of young males, 
that have not ventured to the place before. In the middle of 
September, when the young have learned to swim, the place is 
quite abandoned, with the exception of single animals that 
have remained behind for one reason or other. In long con¬ 
tinued heavy rain many of the animals besides seek protection 
in the sea, but return when the rain ceases. Continuous heat 
and sunshine besides exert the same influence; cold, moist air, 
with mist-concealed sun, on the other hand draw them up on 
land by thousands. 
Males under six years of age cannot, like the older males, 
possess themselves, by fighting, of spouses and a home of their 
own. They therefore collect, along with young females, in herds 
of several thousand to several hundred thousand, on the shores 
between the rookeries proper, some of them close packed next 
the water’s edge, others scattered in small flocks a little farther 
from the shore on the grass, where they by turns play with each 
