1 82 SEA-LION ROOKERIES 



*' Bill," a colossal animal appearing more like a huge cat- 

 erpillar, or a gigantic slug, than anything else. He would 

 doubtless take the fish from the man's hands, but the lat- 

 ter backs up the beach and the bull follows, galloping 

 along head high in air, eyes gazing fixedly at the fish, 

 while his companion follows not far behind, the females 

 and young remaining in the water. In this way the fisher- 

 man leads the bull up the beach twenty or more feet from 

 the water, a remarkable and interesting spectacle hardly 

 to be believed if not witnessed. The secret of the confi- 

 dence which the animals display lies in the fact that the 

 sea lions are never frightened or abused in any way and 

 have perfect confidence in the men. 



Often during this strange exhibition great flocks of sea 

 birds — pelicans, cormorants, divers, and gulls — gather at 

 the feast, the collection affording a striking illustration 

 of the tameness of wild animals. The sea lions have in- 

 creased so rapidly that there has been a separation, and a 

 new rookery has been established halfway up the island, 

 and they are found at various other points on the south 

 side. 



On the island of San Nicolas, ninety miles from here, I 

 found several large rookeries, and at San Clemente Island 

 there are a number. I also located several at the island of 

 Santa Cruz ; indeed, all the channel islands have them, but 

 the most remarkable place is the large oceanic cave north 

 of Point Diablo at Santa Cruz Island. Here the ocean in 

 ages has eaten into the mountain until three distinct rooms 

 or chambers have been formed, beautifully colored, pro- 

 ducing a strange assortment of tints so vivid that the name 

 Painted Cave is given the place. The opening resembles 



