NATIONAL 2;00L0GICAL PARK HOLLISTER, 569 



SEALS AND SEA LIONS. 



The common harbor seal of the Atlantic coast {Plioca vituUrui) is 

 the typical species of a large group of " hair seals " inhabiting the 

 oceans of the Northern Hemisphere. It has a wide distribution and 

 is found on both shores of the Atlantic, ranging well down the coast 

 of the United States. Near relatives are found in the northern 

 Pacific Ocean, in the Caspian Sea, and in Lake Baikal, Siberia. The 

 harbor seal is an interesting creature, spotted in coat, with a little 

 round head, and an inquisitive face. The specimens shown are from 

 the coast of Maine and seem perfectly happy and well in the fresh- 

 water tanks provided for them. 



The sea lion pool, just west of the bear dens, is a popular show 

 place with the public. In it are kept the California sea lion {Zdlo- 

 fhus califomianus) and the Steller's sea lion {Ewmetoyias juhata). 

 The California species, so familiar to visitors to the Pacific coast, 

 is the animal usually seen in shows of trained sea lions. It is a 

 noisy animal, and the bark of the male can be heard for a consider- 

 able distance. Steller's sea lion is rarely seen in captivity. The park 

 is fortunate in the possession of a fine female specimen which has 

 lived here since 1900. This animal, according to its former owner, 

 came from the Pribiloff Islands, but the species is conunon at points 

 on the Pacific coast so far south as the seal rocks below Monterey. 

 A full gi'own male of the Steller's sea lion is an enormous beast, very 

 much larger than the female. 



Feeding time at the sea lion pool is an exciting occasion. The 

 animals are fed fish, some of considerable size, which are handed 

 or thrown to them by the keeper from the high rocky den at the 

 end of the pool. It is at this time that visitors can best see for them- 

 selves what expert and exceedingly rapid swimmers these animals are. 

 A fish thrown anywhere within reasonable distance of one of the sea 

 lions rarely strikes the water, so expert are the animals in catching 

 them. 



THE MARSUPIALS, OR POUCHED MAMMALS. 



These interesting creatures, although in former periods of time 

 having a wide distribution over the earth, are now confined to 

 Australia and America. They are separated from all the other 

 living mammals by many structural characters. The most interesting 

 point from a popular view is the fact that the young are born at a 

 much earlier stage of development than in other mammals, and are 

 placed immediately by the mother in the marsupium, or abdominal 

 pouch, where they attach themselves to the teats and remain for a 

 long period of growth. The newly born young of the larger kanga- 

 roos are no larger than a mouse but by the time they first look out 



