NATURAL HISTORY OF SOUTH AFRICA 



to local fishing industry, and Government gave 

 permission for a limited number to be destroyed, 

 which was easily done by surprising them on land 

 when basking in the sun, and spearing and clubbing 

 them. The commercial value of their skins on 

 the London market averaged from twenty to thirty 

 shillings each. The flesh is not used for any pur- 

 pose, although it is wholesome enough. 



The chief islands around the South African 

 coast where Sea Lions resort to breed are 

 Hollam's Isle, south of Walfisch Bay ; Long Island, 

 near Agra Pequena ; Jacob's Rock, in Saldahna 

 Bay ; Robbensteen, in Table Bay ; and Dyer 

 Island, oft the Caledon coast. 



Between the months of November and Januar}^ 

 the females visit these islands and give birth to 

 two pups. Sea Lions breed once yearly, the 

 period of gestation being twelve months, the female 

 being impregnated again shortly after the pups 

 are born. The young seals are suckled for 

 three to four months, and during this period 

 should they happen to lose their mother they, 

 as a rule, are adopted by another mother seal w^hich 

 rears them, in addition to her own pups. During 

 the time the young are being suckled the mother 

 never ventures far from them, confining her fishing 

 operations to the adjacent shallows. When the cubs 

 are old enough to eat fish and hunt for themselves 

 they make for the water, and do not return again 

 to their place of birth. 



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