Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-01-07

corners. each as she lands is seized by
the nearest bull who may. of course.
have a fierce fight on his hands to main
tain possession. One COW is enough tn
found harem, and the more favorablS
located esta blishments grow more rapid
~ in numbers. the later cows voluntarily
Joining the harem nearest their landing
place. The bull in this case. detecting
a tribute to his popularity, shows MS APP
probation by conspicuous welcome to the
newcomer as soon as he discovers her
presence.
There are such things one-cow ha-
rems. but these are few. Thirty or forty
COWS is the average and there is record
of harem with 200. The establishments
are distinct from each other and under
rigorous discipline until the latter part
of the season. when the lines of division
Iii appear and the seals seem practically
massed The idle bulls. worSted in the
original trays. sometimes loiter in the
outskirts steal COW if they can, and
annoy the others. This. of course, leads
to trouble and frequently death.
x x
While the bulls are not mature until
seven years old, the cows are III the
harems at the early age of two. and the
first pup is born when its mother is three
years old. These yearling females play
about over the rookeries with the pups.
ever young. display the lordly and discip-
linary tendencies of the harem masters.
to the annoyance Of the little sisters
The pups receive very little attention
from their parents the mothers noticing
them only to nurse them. The COWS make
trips far out to sea for their food, which
means absence of days and hungry pups
fiockinS to each returning mother. But
the COW knows her own offspring and
fercely rejects all the others that pursue
her, continuing TO call for her pup until
she has distinguished 1t and has found
place to rest Having satisfied the little
fellows hunger, she coldly dismisses him
until next feeding time. The pups may be
seen "podding' to themselves about the
rookeries. quite unnoticed by their eld-
ers.
The adult bull is a famous fighter dur
ing the breeding season He is a powerful
creature, about six feet in length and
weighing $50 to $50 pounds. and is five
times big as the COWS. which average
40 pounds and are some four feet IN
length. His fierceness and strength are
such as to make him as dangerous as a
bear if his possessions are threatened, and
a man had best not bother him. He rules
his harem like the sultan that he is.
The cows are not all submissive, and now
and then one tries to run away. He pur
sues, and if she resists it is probably
wounded and bleeding spouse that is
brought back to her domestic response
bilities. The cows often quarrel among
themselves. The bull growls and makes
queer chuckling noises by way of
monstrance and conversation. If these
are not sufficient brute strength and saw
age teeth come into play until order is
restored.
* x
In defense of his fireside. however, the
bull is faithful unto death. Nothing but
death, in fact, can move him from his
post. He does not even eat throughout
the summer. for he can not relax his
guard long enough to obtain the food.
Once poachers who raided the rookeries,
finding their purpose interfered with by
these valorous homestead defenders beat
ont the eyes of some Of them and abused
them in shameful manner. But the
manned and blind old warriors were found
still on duty afterward, loyalty guard
ing the scene of destruction.
1t is easy to see, of course, that the
preservation of the seals. a polygamous
race. is dependent upon .the preservation
of the females far more than of the
males. 1t is easy to see, also, how de-
structive pelagic sealing must be. Within
two days after the cow has landed her