290 ZALOPHUS CALIFORNIANUS CALIFORNIAN SEA LION. 



infra, pp. 301, 302) twice alludes incidentally to its presence 

 " along the Mexican and Californian coasts," and Dr. Yeatch 

 states that "Sea Lions"- (which he calls " Otaria jubata, but 

 which are, almost beyond doubt, the present species) had 

 populous breeding stations twenty years ago, and doubtless 

 have still, on Cerros or Cedros Island, in about the latitude of 

 28 J, off the Lower California coast. Whether they occur south- 

 ward of this point at the present time I am unable to state, but 

 should infer that such was the case from Scammon's allusion 

 to their capture along the " Mexican" coast. In any case, it 

 appears probable that in Dampier's time they ranged as far 

 south as the Chametly and Tres Marias Islands, respectively 

 in latitudes about 23 and 21, at which points he saw "Seals" 

 in the year 1686. In describing the Chametly Islands (the most 

 northerly of the two groups mentioned by him under this name), 

 situated off the West coast of Mexico in latitude 23 II 7 , he 

 says: "The Bays about the Islands are sometimes visited with 

 Seals ; and this was the first place where I had seen any of 

 these Animals, on the North side of the Equator, in these Seas. 

 For the Fish on this sandy Coast lye most in the Lagunes or 

 Salt-Lakes, and Mouths of Bivers; For this being no rocky 

 Coast, where Fish resort most, there seems to be but little Food 

 for the Seals, unless they will venture upon Cat-Fish."* 



He also met with Seals at the Tres Marias Islands (in lati- 

 tude "21 5'"), and consequently two degrees south of the Cha- 

 metly Islands, in describing one of which islands, named by 

 him St. George's Island, he says: "The Sea is also pretty well 

 stored with Fish, and Turtle or Tortoise, and Seal. This is the 

 second place on this Coast where I did see any Seal: and this 

 place helps to confirm what I have observed, that they are sel- 

 dom seen but where there is plenty of Fish."t 



It is of course not certain that the Seals here alluded to are 

 ZalopJius calif or nianus, since the Sea Elephant of the Califor- 

 nia coast also occurs at Cedros Island, and probably still further 

 south, the two species having apparently about the same range. 

 If they had been the latter, Dampier would probably have made 

 some allusion to their large size. 



The species of ZalopJius occurring in Japan has been by some 

 writers considered to be the same as the Californian one 5 but, 

 though doubtless closely allied, its affinities, as will be noticed 



* A New Voyage round the World, 5th ed., vol. i, 1703, pp. 263, 264. 

 tlbid., p. 276. 



