23 



This species differs from the O. Jubata by having one pair less of 

 upper molars, and in the modified form of certain portions of the 

 cranium ; but in size, and general proportions, in the character of the 

 hair, and its external colouring, both species bear a close resemblance. 



From Mr. Allen's excellent treatise on the Eared Seals from which 

 the foregoing information has been derived I extract notices by 

 Captain Bryant and Mr. Lyman, of the habits of this Northern Sea Lion, 

 which will be found to correspond greatly with those of the Southern 

 animal. The former states : 



" The Sea Lion visits St. Paul's Island 1 in considerable numbers to 

 rear its young " " its habits are the same as those of the Fur-Seal " 

 " its skin is of considerable value as an article of commerce in the 

 territory, it being used in making all kinds of boats, from a one-man 

 canoe to a lighter of twenty tons' burden." "The rookery is on the 

 north-east end of the island, and the animals have to be driven ten or 

 eleven miles to the village to bring their skins to the drying-frames. It 

 sometimes requires five days to make the journey, as at frequent 

 intervals they have to be allowed to rest. It is a somewhat dangerous 

 animal, and the men frequently get seriously hurt in driving and 

 killing it. They are driven together in the same manner as the fur- 

 seals are ; and while impeding each other by treading upon each 

 other's flippers, the small ones are killed with lances, but the larger 

 ones have to be shot. 



" This animal is the most completely consumed of any on the island. 

 Their flesh is preferred to that of the seal for drying for winter use. 

 After the skins are taken off (2,000 of which are required annually to 

 supply the trading-posts of the territory) they are spread in piles of 

 twenty-five each, with the flesh side down, and left to heat, until the 

 hair is loosened ; it is then scraped off, and the skins are stretched on 

 frames to dry. The blubber is removed from the carcass for fuel, or 

 oil, and the flesh is cut in strips and dried for winter use. The linings 

 of their throats are saved and tanned for making the legs of boots and 

 shoes, and the skin of the flippers is used for the soles. Their stomachs 

 are turned, cleaned, and dried, and are used to put the oil in when 

 boiled out. The intestines are dressed and sewed together into water- 

 proof frocks, which are worn while hunting and fishing in the boats. 

 The sinews of the back are dried and stripped, to make the thread with 

 which to sew together the intestines and to fasten the skins to the 

 canoe-frames." 



Mr. Theodore Lyman observes : " These rocks (Seal Eocks, near 

 San Francisco) are beset with hundreds of these animals some still, 

 some moving, some on the land, and some in the water. As they 

 approach to effect a landing, the head only appears decidedly above 

 water. This is their familiar element, and they swim with great speed 

 and ease, quite unmindful of the heavy surf, and of the breakers on 

 the ledges. In landing they are apt to take advantage of a heavy wave 

 which helps them to get the forward flippers on terra firma. As the wave 



1 Pribyloff group. 



