THE LION AND HIS KIN 87 



and the fighting, apparently in consequence, was far more 

 severe. 



In the matter of secondary sexual characters the most 

 remarkable of the seal-tribe are those of the Elephant Seal 

 and the Bladder-nosed Seal, and this because of the extra- 

 ordinary development of inflatable tissue above the muzzle 

 which these animals display. Of their life-history we 

 know little enough, and this despite the fact that for 

 generations the Elephant Seal was mercilessly hunted 

 and slain for the sake of its oil. Millions were slaughtered 

 during the last century, yet only scraps of information on 

 the economy of the creatures has come down to us. All 

 that is of any value, and especially in regard to the " Court- 

 ing " period, we owe to Mr. Charles Townsend, of the New 

 York Aquarium, and this in regard to the northern species, 

 Macrorhinus angustirostris of Guadelupe, though it may 

 safely be inferred that the Southern, Antarctic species, 

 M. leoninus, differs in no essential respects. 



According to Mr. Townsend, the adult bull, having taken 

 possession of his territory and formed a harem, is con- 

 stantly called upon to wage duels for both with less fortu- 

 nate rivals. And the severity of such combats was attested 

 by the deep wounds and festering sores of the necks of 

 these old warriors — which, at their maximum, attained 

 in the days of their prosperity a length of nearly thirty 

 feet and a girth of sixteen feet ; but the last survivors of 

 the race to-day seem rarely to exceed twenty- two feet. 

 The weapons used in fighting are the canines, and the only 

 armour they possess is that formed by the thickening of 

 the skin of the neck, which forms a great massive shield, 

 so that really dangerous wounds are rare. The great 

 fleshy proboscis, the most vulnerable part, is carefully 

 guarded by the upturned position of the head. The use 



