1912] Toivnsend: Northern Elephant Seal. 169 



It is to be regretted that we did not bring back the skin of 

 a nursing pup and the whole head and proboscis of a large male 

 for anatomical study. In our desire to treat this unique herd 

 with due consideration, we have relinquished, temporarily at 

 least, the opportunity to thoroughly investigate the character of 

 the proboscis. With the exception of the large female, the speci- 

 mens procured were such as could be taken with the least possi- 

 ble injury to the herd as a whole. Some of the yearlings taken 

 alive, I regret to state, have already become available for anatom- 

 ical purposes. 



The yearling frequently emits a sound not unlike the scream 

 of the peacock. On first landing we were unable to account for 

 these singular noises and ascribed them to sea-gulls, but soon dis- 

 covered their true source. This call or scream is most frequent- 

 ly heard when the yearling is disturbed or trampled on by larger 

 animals. 



The taking of the live yearlings was a simple matter. Some 

 heavy pieces of netting were thrown over the animals into which 

 they were tightly rolled, so that the sailors could handle them 

 without fear of being bitten or of their climbing out of the boats. 

 On board ship they were for a time given the freedom of the 

 decks, but later were kept in a pen. They showed no inclination 

 to bite either while on the ship or when they were received at the 

 New York Aquarium. 



The photographs of the young animals taken at the Aquar- 

 ium show some attitudes which were not observed on the beach 

 at Guadalupe Island. Assuming that they were yearlings when 

 captured at Guadalupe, they are now (February, 1912) twenty- 

 three months old. While the animal is plump and rounded when 

 at rest on the floor of the empty seal pool, it may look quite slim 

 when stretching up its head to the hand of a visitor. The neck 

 becomes remarkably drawn out, and it may reach upward until 

 the tips of the flippers are lifted from the flooring. 



Another attitude which the young animal takes at times, 

 shows it balanced upon the stomach with the forequarters ele- 

 vated until the tips of the front flippers are clear of the floor, the 

 head turned far backward and almost touching the hind flippers 

 which are lifted nearly as high as the head. It can also turn the 

 head backward until the nose touches the floor. We did not suc- 

 ceed in getting photographs of these two attitudes. 



