THE NORTHERN SEA-LION 703 



is by far the more numerous of the two, and appears to be the only .one represented 

 on the neighboring island of Santa Barbara. Mr. Elliot states that the two species 

 may be readily distinguished by their voices; the northern sea-lion uttering 

 only a deep, bass growl, and a prolonged, steady roar; whereas the Californian 

 sea-lion never roars, but utters a sharp bark, sometimes almost approaching a 

 howl. 



The general habits of this species seem to be very similar to those of the north- 

 ern sea-lion. On the Farallones these seals are found in vast numbers, and their 

 barking is described as forming an incessant din. Captain Scammon, writing of his 

 experiences with these animals on the island of Santa Barbara, during the sealing 

 season of 1852, states that soon after the arrival of his party, about the end of May, 

 the colonies of Californian sea-lions " began to augment and large numbers of huge 

 males made their appearance, belching forth sharp, ugly howls, and leaping out of 

 or darting through the water with surprising velocity, frequently diving outside the 

 rollers, the next moment emerging from the crest of the foaming breakers and 

 waddling up the beach with head erect, or, with seeming effort, climbing some kelp- 

 fringed rock to doze in the scorching sunbeams; while others would lie sleeping or 

 playing among the beds of seaweed, with their heads and outstretched limbs above 

 the surface. But a few days elapsed before a general contention with the adult 

 males began for the mastery of the different rookeries; and the victims of the 

 bloody encounter were to be seen on all sides of the island, with torn lips or muti- 

 lated limbs and gashed sides, while now and then an unfortunate creature would be 

 met with minus an eye, or with the orb forced from its socket and, together with 

 other wounds, presenting a ghastly appearance. As the time for ' hauling up ' drew 

 near, the island became one mass of animation; every beach, rock, and cliff, where 

 a seal could find foothold, became its resting place, while a countless herd of old 

 males capped the summit, and the united clamorings of the vast assemblage could 

 be heard on a calm day for miles at sea. The south side of the island is high and 

 precipitous with a projecting ledge, hardly perceptible from the beach below, 

 upon which one immense sea-lion managed to climb, and there remained for several 

 weeks." 



The same observer adds that ' ' at the close of the season which lasts about 

 three months on the Californian coast a large majority of the great herds, both 

 males and females, return to the sea, and roam in all directions in quest of food, as 

 but few of them could find sustenance about the waters contiguous to the islands, 

 or points on the mainland, which are their annual resorting places. They live upon 

 fish, mollusks, and sea- fowls, always with the addition of a few pebbles or smooth 

 stones, some of which are a pound in weight. ' ' The quantity of fish consumed by 

 these seals must, indeed, be enormous. Some years ago it was estimated that the 

 total number of sea-lions in the neighborhood of San Francisco was upward of 

 twenty-five thousand, each of which consumed from ten to forty pounds weight of 

 fish per day. In capturing gulls the Californian sea-lions display no little skill 

 and cunning. When in pursuit of a gull Captain Scammon states that the seal 

 dives deeply under water, and swims some distance from where it disappeared, then, 

 rising cautiously, it exposes the tip of its nose above the surface, at the same time 



