EARED SEALS. 107 



the Patagonian sea-lion, which differs in certain points from all the rest ; and to 



refer the rest to a second genus {Arctocephalus). 



This group is widely distributed over the temperate and colder regions of both 



the Northern and Southern Hemispheres ; but, doubtless from the absence of 



suitable sites for breeding-places, is quite unrepresented in the North Atlantic. 



As a rule, sea-lions or hair-seals, and sea-bears or fur-seals, are found frequenting 



the same shores, but generally living apart from one another ; while, with but rare 



exceptions, only one species of each section occurs in any one locality. Of the 



nine species provisionally recognised by Mr. Allen, two out of the five hair-seals 



are northern, and three are southern ; while of the four fur-seals one is northern 



and three are southern. By later writers it is considered, however, that there 



are certainly two other species of southern eared seals. 



As we have already had occasion to mention, the whole of the 

 Habits. 



eared seals spend a good deal of their time on land, where they 



assemble in large companies ; and they are also polygamous. Moreover, the males 



are generally much superior in size to their consorts. At the breeding-places, 



which are known among sealers by the very inappropriate name of " rookeries," 



the older males are always the first to arrive, and thereupon select particular 



stations for themselves, where they await the advent of the females. A continual 



warfare is maintained by the males among themselves for the preservation of these 



stations, and also for the defence of their females. The strongest males are 



naturally successful in obtaining possession of the largest number of females ; the 



number of females on the stations of the largest males usually varying from ten to 



fifteen or more. To guard such large harems requires constant vigilance on the 



part of the males, who remain on land throughout the whole breeding-season, 



during which period they undergo an unbroken fast of several weeks' duration. 



When they first take up their stations on land, the males are fat and in good 



condition ; but at the end of their sojourn they become emaciated and weak to the 



last degree. The females, although after their arrival they remain continuously 



for a certain period on the stations of their lords, do not spend nearly such a long 



unbroken period on shore. 



The largest members of the family are hair-seals, and the smallest 

 Colour. to J 



fur-seals. Mr. Allen states that " all the hair-seals are yellowish or 



reddish brown (in the Californian sea-lion sometimes brownish black), generally 



darkest when young, and becoming lighter with age, and also in the same 



individuals towards the moulting season. . . . All the fur-seals are black when 



young, but they become lighter with age, through an abundant mixture of greyish 



hairs which vary from yellowish grey to whitish grey. The southern fur-seals 



are generally, when adult, much greyer than the northern." There is, however, 



much individual variation in colour among the members of a species according 



to age. 



The fur-seals are, of course, far more valuable commercially than 

 Pelage. 



the hair-seals. The best skins are afforded by young males and 



females ; and these are prepared for use by the inner layer of the skin being shaved 



away with a sharp knife, thus causing the long hairs, which are deeper rooted than 



the woolly under-fur, to fall out. 



