602. THE VOYAGE OF THE VEGA. [cHAr. 



Nine liundred sea-otters were killed here by Steller and his 

 companions in 1741-42. The following quotation is taken from 

 Steller's description of this animal which is now so shy at the 

 sight of man :— 



" With respect to playfulness it surpasses every other animal 

 that lives either in the sea or on the land. When it comes up 

 out of the sea it shakes the water from its fur, and dresses it as 

 a cat its head with its fore-paws, stretches its body, arranges its 

 hair, throws its head this way and that, contemplating itself and 

 its beautiful fur with evident satisfaction. The animal is so 

 much taken up with this dressing of itself, that while thus 

 employed it may easily be approached and killed. If one strikes 

 a sea-otter twenty times across the back, it bears it patiently, but 

 if its large beautiful tail be struck once it turns its head to its 

 pursuer, as if to offer it as a mark for his club in place of the 

 tail. If it eludes an attack it makes the most laughable gestures 

 to the hunter. It looks at him, placing one foot above the head 

 as if to protect it from the sunlight, throws itself on its back, and 

 turning to its enemy as if in scorn scratches itself on the belly 

 and thighs. The male and female are much attached to each 

 other, embrace and kiss each other like men. The female is also 

 very fond of its young. When attacked she never leaves it 

 in the lurch, and when danger is not near she plays with it in a 

 thousand ways, almost like a child-loving mother with her young 

 ones, throws it sometimes up in the air and catches it with her 

 fore-feet hke a ball, swims about with it in her bosom, throws it 

 away now and then to let it exercise itself in the art of 

 swimming, but takes it to herself with kisses and caresses when 

 it is tired." 



According to recent researches the sea-oiter, sea-beaver or 

 Kamchatka- beaver (Eidiydris lutris, Lin.) is a species neither of 

 the otter nor the beaver, but belongs to a peculiar genus, allied 

 to a certain extent to the walrus. Even this animal, un- 

 surpassed in the beauty of its skin, has been long since driven 

 away not only from Behring Island but also from most of the 

 hunting-grounds where it was commonly killed by thousands, and 

 if an effective law be not soon put in force to kee]) the hunting 

 in bounds, and check the war of extermination which greed now 

 carries on against it, no longer with clubs and darts but with 

 powder and breechloaders, the sea-otter will meet the same fate 

 which has already befallen Steller's sea-cow. Of the sea-lion 

 {Eumetopias Stellcri, Lesson), which in Steller's time were found 



eager hunting- had an influence not only on the number of the animals but 

 also on their colour, the variety in greatest demand becoming also relatively 

 less common than before. 



