Aquarium Number 

 Prepared bji the Director of the Aquarium. 



5AY 2 1908 



ZOOLOGICAL 

 SOCIETY BULLETIN 



No. '29 



Published bij the Xezc York Zoological Society. 



April, 1908 



XN INQUISITIVE SEA-LIOX. 



5EVERAL years ago, when the writer was 

 (naturalist of the U. S. Fisheries steam- 

 ship "Albatross," the vessel lay at an- 

 chor one evening in a little harbor in Puget 

 Sound. 



Two of the boats, a steam launch and a 

 dinghy, which had been in use during the 

 day, were mooi'cd to the lower booms swung 

 out to accommodate them during the night. 



Before dark a young sea-lion, swimming 

 near the ship, was attracted by the barking 

 of the writer's setter dog. It at once came 

 and climbed into the dinghy, taking the 

 greatest interest in the dog only a few feet 

 above. Dropping into the water it swam 

 about the ship, the excited dog racing fore 

 and aft to keep it in view and barking loudly. 



The sea-lion soon came back and climbed 

 upon the stem of the steam launch on the 

 starboard side. 



After remaining in this position some time 

 it returned to the dinghy on the port side. 

 The sailors were warned not to disturb it, a 

 camera was sent for and the accompanying 

 photograph was taken. 



During the evening the sea-lion changed 

 its position from one boat to the other several 

 times, and finally settled down on the broad 

 stern seat of the dingiiy, wliere it spent the 

 night. 



Sea-lions are frequently seen in Puget Sound 

 and this animal probably belonged to one of the 

 numerous sea-lion rookeries scattered along the 

 adjacent coast outside of the Straits of Fuca. 



JT 



AN INQUISITIVE SEA-l.ION. 

 I a photograph by C. H. Towns 



