698 THE CARNIVORES 



Rio de la Plata on the Atlantic border, southward to the Falkland islands and 

 Tierra del Fuego. Externally this species is distinguished from all the others by 

 the long hair of the neck, which forms a kind of mane; although this mane is but 

 indistinctly seen when the skin is wet. The profile of the head is nearly straight; 

 the muzzle deep and somewhat truncated, and the naked portion of the nose large; 

 while the upper lip has a number of thick bristles of considerable length, and hang- 

 ing nearly straight down. The ears are also shorter in this species than in any 

 other member of the group. There are likewise several features in the skull of this 

 seal by means of which it can be distinguished from all the other eared seals; but it 

 will suffice to mention here that the palate is deeply hollowed out and truncated be- 

 hind, whereas in the other species it is neither hollowed out nor truncated. There 

 are six upper cheek-teeth. The males of this species attain a length of about seven 

 feet from the tip of the muzzle to the root of the tail, although Captain Cook 

 states than in his time much larger individuals were to be met with. 

 H b'tat This species was one of the first members of the group known in 



Europe, having been met with by Magellan as long ago as the year 

 1579, and long afterward by Cook. It was likewise the first exhibited alive in 

 England, a specimen having been bought by the London Zoological Society in 1866. 

 Subsequently other examples were obtained from the Falkland islands by a French 

 sailor named Lecomte; and all who visited the Society's Gardens during 1868 and 

 a few years later will have a vivid recollection of the docility and cleverness of these 

 animals to say nothing of there marvelous activity when in the water. Formerly 

 these seals were extremely numerous in the Falkland islands, and on the coasts of 

 Patagonia and other parts of South America; but they are now comparatively few, 

 and their distribution is restricted. 

 __ . The following particulars of the habits of the sea-lion in the Falk- 



lands were communicated by Lecomte to Dr. J. Murie. At various 

 times these seals were seen in parties of from six to twelve, and even as many as 

 twenty; but fifteen may be taken as the average. Several such families may con- 

 gregate in the same creek, to the number of from forty to one hundred; but the in- 

 dividuals of different families do not associate with one another. ' ' They seem to 

 prefer headlands or isthmuses, and choose the most southern locality thereon as a 

 resting place. One of the old males is on guard as a sentinel. Usually he is seen 

 perched on an eminence, and invariably, as Lecomte affirms, with outstretched neck 

 and upraised head, as if sniffing around for the slightest ominous warning. The 

 signal of a grunt or growl sets the others on the alert; and on any real approach of 

 danger they rush all helter-skelter toward the water, from which they never wander 

 far. Their daily occupation seems divided between sleeping and procuring food. 

 They lie huddled together in a drowsy condition, or slumber, for a great part of 

 their time; and this both during the day and night. At high tides, night and day, 

 they take to fishing near the entrance of the fresh-water rivulets into the sea. At 

 such times they will remain a whole tide dabbling about singly after food. This 

 consists of fish and crustaceans. In capturing their prey they swallow it either 

 above or below the water. . . . Lecomte says these eared seals never drink 

 water ; and he substantiates the fact that he kept the first animal he brought to 



