296 ZALOPHUS CALIFORNIANUS CALIFORNIAN SEA LION. 



merits of what I take to be examples of this species from ttie 

 Farallone and Santa Barbara Islands. * 



HABITS. Several more or less full accounts of the habits of 

 the Californian Sea Lions have been given by different writers, 

 who have, however, failed to distinguish the two species occur- 

 ring along the Californian coast, and consequently their descrip- 

 tions are not wholly satisfactory. The large Northern species 

 certainly occurs, and rears its young, as far south as the Faral- 

 lones, but probajbly exists there only in small numbers, while I 

 have seen no evidence of its presence at Santa Barbara Island. 

 Even Captain Scammon, in his account of the Sea Lions of 

 California, has not distintly recognized the two species occur- 



* Captadn Scammon published his first account of the Sea Lious in the 

 "Overland Monthly" magazine (vol. viii, pp. 266-272, March, 1872), in an ar- 

 ticle entitled "About Sea Lions," which is substantially the same as that in 

 the "Marine Mammalia," with the omission of figures and about two pages 

 of tabulated measurements and other details, based on specimens subse- 

 quently obtained at the Farallone and Santa Barbara Islands. In a foot- 

 note in the "Marine Mammalia" (p. 125), he refers to his former article as 

 follows: "Since the publication of the article 'About Sea Lions,' in the 

 'Overland Monthly' of September, 1871 liege March, 1872!], we have had 

 opportunity of making additional observations upon these animals at the 

 Farallone Islands, where we saw the largest females we have ever met with 

 on the California coast. Hence, what we have formerly taken to be the 

 Eumetopias Stelleri may prove to be the Zalophus Gillespii? ; but if such be the 

 fact, both species inhabit the coast of California, at least as far south as 

 the Farallones. Moreover, both species, if we may be allowed the expres- 

 sion, herd together in the same rookeries. On making a series of observa- 

 tions upon the outward forms of Sea Lions, it will be found that a confusing 

 variety exists in the figures of these very interesting animals, especially in 

 the shape of the head some having a short muzzle with a full forehead 

 [Eumetopias stelleri'} ; others with forehead and nose somewhat elongated 

 [Zaloplius californianus =gillespi; auct. ] ; and still others of a modified shape, 

 between the two extremes [E. stelleri, female?]." In this connection it may 

 be noted that four of the five specimens of which Captain Scammon gives 

 measurements in the "Marine Mammalia," were taken a/terthe publication 

 of the article in the "Overland Monthly, "namely, No. 1, "full-grown male," 

 Farallones, July 17, 1872; No. 3, male "about ten months old," Santa Bar- 

 bara Island, April 4, 1872; No. I bis, female, supposed to be a yearling, and 

 No. 2 Us, female, new-born pup, same locality, May 3, 1873. The other, No. 2 

 (referred to in the " Overland Monthly" paper), adult female, Santa Barbara 

 Island, April 12, 1871. The first (No. 1, full-grown male) I refer with little 

 hesitation to E. stelleri, and the second (No. 2, adult female), to Z. califor- 

 nianus, especially as I find skulls in the National Museum, received from 

 Captain Scammon, agreeing respectively with these in locality, sex, and 

 age. 



