144 HUNTING THE SEA OTTER. 



description. Our observations over and notes being taken, 

 three of them were released, the one detained being 

 destined for the scalpel. The length of wing in this case 

 was fourteen inches, expanse of wing twenty-four, length 

 of beak one and seven-eighths ; colour, jet black, with the 

 exception of cheeks, face, and chin, these of pure white. 

 From the top of the head, which was black and velvety, 

 sprang two plumes of golden-hued feathers, from two to 

 two and a half inches in length. They were on either side, 

 immediately over the eyes ; the delicate, hair-like feathers, 

 being of varying lengths, gave a gradual taper to these 

 plumes, which drooped gracefully downwards, and were 

 capable of partial erection when the bird was irritated. 

 These plumes seem to be common both to male and female, 

 as, amongst the hundreds seen almost daily, we never 

 noticed any without them. The legs and feet the latter 

 armed with three sharp claws were of a bright scarlet 

 colour, rivalling in richness of hue those of the Greenland 

 dove (Cephus grylla) shot at Nemoro. Their usual cry 

 was a hoarse croak, seldom repeated, and their speed 

 when on the wing was almost the same as that of the 

 guillemot (Uria troila]. 



During the next few days time hung somewhat heavily 

 on our hands, fog without rain and fog with rain alternating 

 persistently. One good day we certainly had, in spite of 

 the fog, which was not so thick as usual. Close to one of 

 the boats rose the first otter, a large bull. His skin, when 

 pegged out, measured sixty-three inches from nose to root 

 of tail. It took us three hours before it was hauled into 

 the boat, the fog baffling us considerably. The air did not 

 clear till seven o'clock, when we got an hour-and-a-half of 

 successful hunting before returning to the vessel, and, as 

 we had bagged in all six otters and a dog seal, we were 

 well content. 



One day we went on board the Buff andean for a chat 

 and a drink of the mysterious Mexican firewater. A 

 hunter belonging to this vessel, who had spent two years 



