HOOKER'S SEA-LION. 61 



than the back ; aud the whole of the face, the chin, muzzle, cheeks, eyebrows and 

 throat are all distinctly darker and browner than the remainder of the body. From 

 the forehead, over the crown of the head, nape and back of the neck as far as the 

 shoulders, the colour is paler than any other part, and may be described as a pale buff 

 or light yellowish brown. 



I would draw attention to the possible significance of this pale coronal patch of 

 colour in connection with the question of the origin of the Sea-lions. It is more marked 

 in this youthful individual than in older specimens, though it is plain enough in some 

 of the fully adult examples of other sea-lions (in Otaria lohata, for example, and to a 

 less degree in Otaria juhata) in the collection of the British Museum, and it is highly 

 suggestive, occurring thus prominently in this new-born example, of the very similar 

 coronal white and light patches of colour that occur in certain of the Mustelidse, 

 notably, for example, in the Badgers and Eatels, and the Sea-Otter, the most seal-like, 

 in some respects, of all. 



The specimen we procured was, as I have said, on the point of moulting its natal 

 coat, and in place of the reddish hair, which had been shed in more or less confluent 

 patches over the centre of the back aud sides, mouse-grey coloured hairs had appeared, 

 darker upon the back and paler laterally, a colour which characterises many of the 

 young adults. It is uoticeable that the moult commences in a different way in this 

 animal to that which obtains in the natal moult of Lejytonychotes, where the head, fore 

 flippers, and hind flippers are invarialily the first parts to show new hair, sometimes 

 accompanied, but never preceded, by the moult of the median dorsal area. In this 

 young example of Hooker's Sea-lion, although the back is moulting, there is no sign 

 of moult upon the head or flippers. The hairs composing the new coat are very fine 

 and short (10 mm. in length), their terminal c|uarter being white, aud the remainder 

 dark grey or black, the mixture of black hairs and white ends producing the soft 

 mouse-grey colouring characteristic of the young and some of the females of Hooker's 

 Sea-lion. 



The fore and hind limbs are uniformly covered to the roots of the nails with the 

 same red-brown hair that covers the body. The naked parts of the limbs are black. 

 On the fore limb are five minute rudimentary nails, and on the hind limb well-formed 

 nails, 12 mm. long, upon the second, third, and fourth digits, and rudimentary nails 

 only upon the first and fifth. The ears are comparatively long and pointed, measuring 

 fully 20 mm. in length, the pinna drooping downwards and backwards. The facial 

 bristles are long, strong, and white for the most part. The hinder ones are the stronger 

 and in some cases, are of a slightly darker shade. The nostrils, 12 mm. long, open 

 directly forwards, and are divided by a comparatively narrow septum. The 

 distance separating the bare black skin of the nose from the upper lip is 7 mm., and 

 this space is covered with short reddish hair. In the pes the first digit extends its 

 palmation 25 mm. beyond that of the fifth, that of the second, third, fourth, and fifth 

 being equal. The tail measures 35 mm. in length. 



