214 ELEPHANT SEAL. 



Frequenting only the Southern hemisphere, 

 this Seal has a peculiar delight in its most desert 

 islands ; and what is strange, for some of these 

 in preference, and to the exclusion of others. 

 Thus, in a particular group, consisting it may be of 

 several dozens, it will be seen only on two or 

 three. It is not found on the vast continent of 

 New Holland, nor in Van Diemen's Land, except 

 as driven on shore by tempests. It has been found 

 in numerous herds in Kerquelen's Land, upon S. 

 Georgia, the States Islands, where it is regularly 

 fished, also upon Juan Fernandez, South Shetland, 

 and the Falkland Islands, where, however, there are 

 but few. The only explanation of these prefer 

 ences which we can suggest is, that they may 

 perhaps depend on the presence of those fresh 

 water lakes, or rather swamps, in which they de- 

 light to wallow. As the result of all the observa- 

 tions hitherto made, it may be remarked, that 

 these powerful animals are confined between the 

 35 and 55 of S. latitude, and that they exist both 

 in the Atlantic and Southern Oceans. 



The Elephant Seal is not, however, a fixed tenant 

 of its favourite haunts ; for, avoiding the extremes 

 of heat and cold, in the commencement of winter 

 it leaves the South, and approaches more tem- 

 perate regions, and with the summer heats it again 

 retires towards the pole* A month after this voyage 

 the females begin to bring forth their young; when 

 they are usually all assembled near the shore, and 

 are surrounded by the males, who do not allow them 



