THE CAPE SEA LION 



Sea Lions are polygamous. The males swim 

 off in advance of the females, each bent upon secur- 

 ing the most favourable site for a family home. 

 Desperate battles take place, resulting in the 

 stronger ones securing the best situations on the 

 island. 



On the arrival of the females, fighting is again 

 resumed, the endeavour of each male being to secure 

 as many females for his harem as he possibly can, 

 and, of course, the stronger males secure the greater 

 number^ which averages usually from a dozen to 

 twenty. This is a wise provision of Nature, for 

 in this way the most robust of the male seals per- 

 petuate the species and prevent the race de- 

 teriorating. 



After the arrival of all the females, fighting 

 ceases, and the males mount guard over their re- 

 spective establishments. Should one of them ven- 

 ture to leave his harem to secure a meal of fish in 

 the sea, the others instantly take advantage of his 

 absence to steal away some of his family. How- 

 ever, after a time, when the amative excitement 

 of the males subsides they are not so furiously 

 jealous, and venture into the shallows adjacent to 

 hunt for fish for a meal. When the males arrive first 

 on the islands they are sleek and fat, and it is well 

 for them that they have a surplus of fatty tissue, 

 for so great is their jealousy of one another, and so 

 carefully do they guard the females and cubs, that 

 for several weeks they fast completely, not even 



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