128 Bulletin American Museum of Natural History. [Vol. XXXI, 



Phocid^e. Seals. 



One of the most interesting features of the expedition was the rediscov- 

 ery of the elephant seal at Guadalupe Island, lying 140 miles west of the 

 northern part of the Peninsula. This species was formerly taken in great 

 numbers for its oil, and finally became so scarce that it was reported by 

 Scammon in 1869 to be " nearly if not quite extinct." Specimens were 

 taken by the writer in 1884 at San Cristobal Bay, Lower California, since 

 which time it has not been seen at that locality. He also obtained speci- 

 mens in 1892 at Guadalupe Island where it has been found subsequently 

 only twice. Not having been found elsewhere than at these two localities 

 since about 1865, it has generally been supposed to be extinct. The herd 

 at Guadalupe Island contains about 150 animals, and is now being protected 

 by the Mexican Government. The writer has already published a special 

 account of the elephant seal in ' Zoologica, Scientific Contributions of the 

 New York Zoological Society', I, No. 8, pp. 159-173, pll. 52-72, April, 1912. 

 He has also published an article on the same subject in the ' Century 

 Magazine' for June, 1912, pp. 205-211. 



51. Macrorhinus angustirostris Gill. Northern Elephant Seal. 



Plate VIII. 



Three males, 1 female, skins, 2 skeletons, 6 live yearlings, Guadalupe 

 Island, March 2-4. 



Some of the young brought back lived nearly a year in the New York 

 Aquarium. The skins of the adults with some of the young have been 

 mounted for the American Museum of Natural History. 



Otariid/E. Sea-Lions, Fur-Seals. 



Sea-lions abound at many points on the Peninsula and the outlying 

 islands, from Guadalupe Island, 140 miles west of the northern part of the 

 Peninsula, to Consag Rock, near the head of the Gulf of California. 



The California species has not been recorded from farther south than the 

 Tres Marias Islands, below the mouth of the Gulf. The largest colony 

 observed during the cruise occupied the western side of West San Benita 

 Island, where there were perhaps 1000 hauled out on the rocks. All the 

 little inlets on the eastern side of the East San Benita were filled with 

 them, there being about 700 altogether. 



A brief search was made for fur-seals at Guadalupe Island, and a very 

 thorough one at the San Benita Is'ands, but none were found. The breeding 

 season, it is said, does not. commence until June. Doubtless there are some 



