258 CHANNEL ISLANDS OF CALIFORNIA 



and the 'March bull' seasons; but on the California coast — ■ 

 either from the influence of climate or from some other cause 

 — we have noticed young pups with their mothers at quite 

 the opposite months. The continual hunting of the animals 

 may possibly have driven them to irregularities. The time of 

 gestation is supposed to be about three-quarters of the year. 

 The most marked season we could discover was that of the 

 adult males, wliich shed their coats later than the younger ones 

 and the females; still, among the herd of the largest of those 

 fully matured (at Santa Barbara Island in June, 1852), we 

 found several cows and their young, the latter apparently but 

 a few days old. 



"When the sea elephants come on shore for the purpose of 

 shedding, if not disturbed, they remain out of the water until 

 the old hair falls off. By the time this change comes about, 

 the animal is supposed to lose half its fat; indeed, it sometimes 

 becomes very thin, and is then called a 'slim skin.' 



"In the stomach of a sea elephant a few pebbles are found, 

 which has given rise to the saying that 'they take in ballast 

 before going down' (returning to the sea). On warm and 

 sunny days we have watched them come up singly, on smooth 

 beaches, and burrow in the dry sand, throwing over their backs 

 the loose particles that collect about their fore limbs, and nearly 

 covering themselves from view. But when not disturbed, the 

 animals follow their gregarious propensity, and collect in large 

 herds." 



Elsewhere he speaks of one hundred and sixty-five 

 as the largest number he ever saw together in one 

 herd. 



Among the earless seals, the sea elephant appears 

 to stand quite alone, in the very great difference which 

 exists in size between the male and the female. This 

 is almost as great as that between the sea-lion bull and 

 his cow. 



The sea elephant takes its name from the long, 

 wrinkled proboscis or extensible snout, which is seen 



