TUS 8BA BEAR. 



117 



S-aK :unl will frequently relinquish thi-ii ,,|T-j,iiiii; in th.-ir haste t.> .-s4-a|- from their 

 liuiiiaii foes. The natives are in the hal'it of killing tin* Sea Ijoiis l>\ |ioisoiie| armus. <>i \<\ 

 har|MM,n- A- tin- M..IIII-II-.I animal would be sufficiently strong to escape in spite of the har- 

 poons, the native hunters attach th< lmr]>uun-lini to I post linn h |>l uted inth . i .irl. ..IM 

 are tlm- mal'l'il to ill-lay the Sea Lion until they can inflict a fatal wound. 



The\ are marvellously Mutant animal-, k.i-ping up continual chorus of vociferai ions as 

 !"ii_- as tip \ an- mi l.md. ThetU I'M!' im tfai MMl noisj ol t! ] irty, snorting ditHxndotiy, 

 and roaring like ina^nilifl lions. The females answer l>\ Imul M.-atin^, and the young of 

 N.td sexes a*hl their \..ic.-s in u leas degree. The united crira of a large herd of Sea IJons nr- 

 80 deafening, thut bunion senses are almost stunned by the clangorous uproar. 



Thi> >i>i -ies i> xtiil to feed ujion fish and smaller Seals, being extremely dreaded by the 

 btter animals, and ruling -ii]>n-me in its own domains. The t.-eth <>f the Sea Lion are very 

 singular in their shape and arrangement, the molars being furnished with sharp trenchant 

 1 '. hits, some of the incisors double-headed, and others long and {xiinteil like canine teeth. 



SKA BEAR, OB I RSTNE UtAL.-Anttt,ftttm untoM. 



As the mane-clad neck and shoulders of the preceding animal have earned for it the title of 

 Sea Lion, so the generally ursine aspect of the present species has gained the name of SKA BEAR. 



It is not a very large animal, being hardly eight feet in length. As its lirnlw are larger 

 ami better developed than in the generality of the Seals, it can stand and walk in a more active 

 manner than any of the preceding members of the ]>h<>cine family. The color of its fur is \-iy 

 jili-a-in::. the long hairs being of a grayish -brown, while the thick soft wool that lies next to 

 the skin is reddish -brown. The fur is extremely soft and warm, and of high value as an article 

 of commerce. When it is dressed by the furriers, the entire coating of lonir hairs is removed, 

 the wool only beini: left adherent to the skin. l"i>on the neck and shoulders of the male 

 animal there is a kind of mane, composed of rather stiff hairs about two inches in length, and 

 of a griz/led a>i-ct. the hairs themselves beinir jetty-Mack, ami their tips white. The whole 

 of the fur N thick and long, and does not lie closely to the body. 



It is not so easily caught as the sea lion, for it is not only very active in the water, but can 

 proceed upon land with such rapidity that a man who wishes to overtake an affrighted Sea 

 Bear will be forced to exert his utmost speed before he can attain his object 



The Sea Bears are found in great numbers about Kamt -.chatka and the Knrile islands, and 

 at the beginning of summer are so numerous as to blacken the banks on which they repose. 



