696 THE CARNIVORES 



In the present work the whole of these will be included under the single generic 

 title of Otaria ; but an alternative plan is to restrict that name to the Patagonian 

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

 second genus {Ardocephalus) . 



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

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

 able sights 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 ex- 

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

 species provisionally recognized 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 cer- 

 tainly two other species of southern eared seals. 



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

 ally 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 defense of their females. The strongest males are naturally suc- 

 cessful in obtaining possession of the largest number of females; the number of fe- 

 males 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 fe- 

 males, 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 

 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 indi- 

 viduals toward the moulting season. . . . All the fur-seals are black when 

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

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

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

 much individual variation in color among the members of a species according to 

 age. 



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

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

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



