158 ALASKA. 



Altbougb, as I liave already iiulicatccl, the sea-lion, iu its 

 liabit and disposition, approximates the far-seal, yet iu no 

 respect does it maintain and enforce the system and rejiu- 

 larity found on the breeding-grounds of the CoUorhinus. The 

 time of arrival at, stay on, and departure from the island is 

 about tbe samej but if the winter is an open, mild one, the sea- 

 lion will be seen frequently all tbrougli it, and tbe natives 

 occasionally sboot tbem around tbe island long after tbe fur- 

 seals bave entirely disap]ieared for tbe year. It also does not 

 confine its landing to tbese Trybilov Islands alone, as tbe fur- 

 seal unquestionably does, witb reference to our continent ; for 

 it bas been and is often sbot upon tbe Aleutian Islands and 

 many rocky islets of tbe nortbwest coast. 



Tbe sea-lion in no respect wbatever manifests tbe intelligence 

 and sagacity exbibited by tbe fur-seal, and must be rated far 

 below, altbougb next, in natarfJ order. I bave no besitation 

 in putting tbis Eumetopias of tbe Prybilov Islands, apart from 

 tbe sea-lion common at San Francisco and Santa Barbara, as a 

 distinct animal ; and I call attention to tbe excellent descrip- 

 tion of tbe California sea-lion, made public iu tbe April num- 

 ber for 1872 of tbe Overland Montbly, by Capt. C. M. Scammon, 

 iu wbicb tbe distinguisbing cbaracters, externally , of tbis animal 

 are well defined, and by wbicb tbe difference between tbe 

 Eumetopias of Bering Sea and tbat of tbe coast of California 

 can at once be seen ) and also I notice one more point in wbicb 

 tbe dissimilarity is marked— tbe nortbern sea-lion never barks 

 or bowls like tbe animal at tbe Farralones or Santa Barbara. 

 Young and old, botb sexes, from one year and upward, bave 

 onlij a deep hass groicJ, ^ud irroJonged, steady roar ; wbile at San 

 Francisco sea-lions break out incessantly witb a '' bonking" 

 bark or bowl, and never roar. 



I am not to be understood as saying tbat all tbe sea-lions met 

 witb on tbe Californian coast are different from E. stellerl of 

 Bering Sea. I am well satisfied tbat stragglers from tbe uortb 

 are down on tbe Farralones, but tbey are not migrating back 

 and fortb every season ; and I am furtbermore certain tbat not 

 a single animal of tbe species most common at San Francisco 

 was present among tbose breeding on tbe Prybilov Islands in 

 1872-'73. 



According to tbe natives of Saint George, some fifty or sixty 

 years ago tbe Eumetopias beld almost exclusive possession of 

 tbe island, being tbere in great numbers, some two or tbree 



