72 Southern Cross. 



They are therefore obviously rare at all times, though widely 

 distributed. 



A female of the Leopard-Seal was found on September 11th in 

 Eobertson Bay, containing a young male ready for birth. As 

 September is also the month when Weddell's Seal gives birth to its 

 young, there can be no doubt that the Leopard-Seal had come to the 

 coast for the same purpose. The food of this Seal, the most active, 

 powerful, and ferocious of all the southern Seals, and the most truly 

 carnivorous in its dentition, consists mainly of fish, though it is stated 

 by Dr. Eacovitza that Penguins were accepted as food when thrown 

 overboard by him from the ' Belgica.' 



Sir James Koss found in the stomach of one of these animals no 

 less than 28 lbs. of fish, including Sphyrmnia of 28 inches length, and 

 Notothenia of 6^ inches. The stomachs of the two young Leopard- 

 Seals killed in the pack-ice contained the remains of Octopus. 



Mr. Bernacchi (p. 319) gives the following note : " The Leopard- 

 Seal (Ogmorhimis hptonyx) is readily distinguished by the great size 

 of its elongated body, by its large, flat square head, with small fierce 

 slit-like eyes set sloping inwards, and by a greater number of spots 

 upon its body than any of the other species. It is not a common 

 Seal, for only three or four specimens were secured by the ' Southern 

 Cross ' Expedition. It is the largest and fiercest of all the Seals, not 

 hesitating to attack a man on being molested. It is a most voracious 

 animal, and feeds upon fish and Penguins. I have seen one near 

 Possession Island give chase to a Penguin in the water ; the latter 

 appeared to have little chance against such a determined and rapidly- 

 moving foe. In colour the back is of a dark hue, but the most 

 characteristic point seems to be the presence of black as well as tawny 

 spots on the grey of the upper part of the sides. The young of this 

 Seal is born during the month of September." 



These Seals are easily recognised by their activity and strength, 

 and are the largest of all the species of the Antarctic regions. 

 Sir James Eoss gives 850 lbs. as the weight of one of these Seals, 

 measuring 12 feet from nose to the tip of the tail, and 6 feet round 

 the body. 



The largest skin of the Ogmorhinus brought home by the 

 ' Southern Cross ' measured nearly 1 1 feet from nose to tail. 



When lying on the ice, as is well seen in Mr. Bernacchi's excellent 

 photographs of this Seal, the sides bulge and the whole animal is 

 flattened out, much as a Lizard spreads itself to catch the full rays of 

 a hot sun. 



The " True Sea-leopard," as this species is sometimes called, is 



