Chap, viii.] FUR SEALS. I63 



volcanic sand, some greyish brown forms were made out, lying 

 amongst the grass just above the beach. A rush was made to 

 the spot, but they were found to be only four Sea Elephants, 

 reclining beside a small stream which runs down here from a 

 little lake on a small plateau above, into the sea. 



The Elephants, when stirred up, raised their heads and put 

 on the savage expression usual with them when disturbed, 

 which is effected by contracting the facial muscles about 

 the nose, so as to throw it into a series of very prominent 

 transverse folds. They opened their mouths, showed their 

 teeth and uttered a roar, consisting of a series of quickly 

 succeeding deep guttural explosions. They bit savagely at a 

 stick, and twisted it out of our hands, but made no attempt 

 to go to sea, making on the contrary into the stream, and up it 

 inland, moving by the regular flop-flop motion of the body, 

 like that of the common British seal, but more clumsily per- 

 formed. 



Whilst every one was either .looking at these Elephants, or 

 beating the ground for ducks, I looked round for other seals, 

 and on a shot being fired, I saw the head of an animal raised high 

 above the grass on the flat close to the beach, and about a 

 hundred yards off". I knew at first glance that it was a Fur 

 Seal, and made for it in all haste. The seal, or Sea Bear, was 

 lying in a sort of form in the grass. It contrasted most strongly 

 in its appearance and gait with the Sea Elephants we had just 

 left. 



The OtariidiC, or seals with external ears, differ from all 

 other seals in that, in progression on land, they turn their 

 hinder limbs or flippers forwards, and rest on the backs of 

 them, and raising the body from the ground with the fore limbs, 

 shuffle along with a sort of awkward walking gait, by the alter- 

 nate use of the hind limbs. All other seals keep their hind 

 limbs stretched straight out behind when on land as when in 

 the water, and these limbs are therefore of no aid in moving 

 on land, which is accomplished entirely by undulating move- 

 ments of the body. The Otariidce are in fact connecting links 

 between the true seals and such beasts as the Sea Otter ; their 

 limbs still retain some of their old land functions. 



The Sea Bear, besides a thick coating of long hair, has the 

 familiar thicker layer of silky fur beneath, which renders its 

 skin so valuable. The Sea Bears are nimble on land as com- 

 pared with the helpless Sea Elephants, and can climb up on 

 to rocky ledges, and even spring some little distance. 



The seal I had found was an old male, covered with greyish- 

 brown shaggy hair, and with a short greyish mane about the 

 neck. He moved his head up and down uneasily when dis- 



