The tribune. [volume] (Beaufort, S.C.) 1874-1876, 1876-07-05

| Spectlon very well. Those which arrive
earliest are sometimes timid, but when
the males are in great numbers they
take no notice of the inspector. They
are fortunately not affected by village
sounds, unless very near, nor the stencil
of the slaughter field.
The habits of seals are as interesting as
those of any animal known. The mere
fact that, If the observers are not mis-
taken, only one-fifteenth of the males
can set upa family, indicates that the law
! OF selection must be III active use among
them. The COWS do not come to land
until their young are ready for birth,
and having borne them, they leave the
principal care of the pups to husband
who il not the father. There is no
proof, but evidence to the contrary, that
the seals, male or female, seek the same
rookery year after year. The strongest
warriors get the first pick, and the sys~
tenn OF unlimited roguery in which they
indulge makes it impossible for COW to
return either to her old homo or her old
husband. The strongest bulls establish
themselves Oh the water line, and when
the first cows appear they are received
with great affability, and coaxed and
urged up on to the rocks. Their new
found masters and protectors are vio-
lently jealous, and the new acquisition
cannot be enticed unless the rival fights
successful battle. But the fortunate
husband soon has his attention called to
a new appearance of COWS, and while he
is engaged with number two his next
neiehbor reaches his long neck, picks
up number one by the nape of the neck,
and lands her within his own precinct.
When number two is brought to shore
the two bulls Mt once have a fight, dur
ing which two other rivals take posses
sion of both cows! The gentle COW thus
progresses with some rapidity to back
station whero the lord is not so often be-
| gulled by new arrivals, and there she
| rests. AS before said, these cows bring
forth almost Immediately. Then they
| leave the pups in charge of the bull,
who cares for them so faithfully that he
sometimes remains four months out of
tho water During this time he is de-
| prived of food, and lives on the store of
fat he has accumulated during the win
ter.
This trial is much more severe than
that of the bears Information, for the
seals are extremely active during their
deprivation. No special organic pro-
vision for this ordeal has been found,
the stomachs showing 10 pecnliarity
however, greatly weakens them, and
after two or three months the old bulls
who have not been able to get place
on the breeding ground, and have con-
scquently spent the summer in cruising
around behind the rookery, find it pos
slble to come forward and drive out their
once powerful antagonists. This phase
OF seal life is as singular as any other,
Tor the new conner does not think of
driving away the pups born under the
selgnorage of his predecessors, but on
the contrary takes the place of faithful
guardian to them.
AS to the cows, they are SO greearious
that even when they come in such num-
bers as to be able to make choice they
prefer the best filled harem. They will
not lilo quiet away from the great mass
OF their sisters. The consequence is that
the stations nearest the water have from
twelve to fifteen COWS each, and those in
the rear from five to nine. When they
come up from the water they bl- to
their young, who answer in the same
manner, and In this way they are quickly
singled out. Some signal is necessary,
for after they are two months old they
collect together by tens of thousands.
frolicking and sleeping. Yet it is strange
that tho mothers will see them killed
without showing any concern. Even the
fierce old guardian who protects them
and their mothers seems to have no in
terest In them personally. 1t is pre-
clnt that he guards, and if they stray
beyond that, they get no care from him.
The pups do not know their mothers,
but being inclined by nature to bl-a at
necessarily, the mother can find her
own. By the time she reaches it, it
may have fallen asleep, and then she
has nothing to do but take nap her
self, for she cannot find it in the wrig-
Cling and crawling mass of thousands of
pups, and she will not let any other take
its place.
The females come to maternity at two
years of age, the bachelors at five or
six; and as there are million and half
of these classes who are not admitted to
the harems, it is obviously necessary to
have some provision for them in seal
sociology. They take their rest on So
called "hauling grounds" of which
there are two kinds. The most favored
Is near the water, in some place apart
from the breeding grounds. The other
lies further inland, and must be reached
by passing through the precincts guarded
by the patriarchs. The bachelors are
allowed to do this, and path running
between the harems is by common con-
sent regarded as neutral. On this path
way steady stream of bachelors is
passing, while the neighboring patri-
archs guard their seraglios with re-
doubled vigilance.
Such are some of the peculiarities of
seal colony, and much moro complete
account of them is given by Prof. Elliot
In letter from the secretary of. the