7 2 Southern Cross. 



Tlu'V are therefore obviously rare at all times, tliougli widely 



ilistrilmtftl. 



A ftMiiale of the Leopard-Seal was found on Septemlier Utli m 

 KolxM-tson l'.ay. contjiininj,' a young male ready for birth. As 

 September is also the month when AVeddell's Seal gives birth to its 

 vouni:. then; ran be no doubt that the Leopard-Seal had come to the 

 C(.ast""f()r the same purpose. The food of this Seal, the most active, 

 powerful, and ferocious of all the southern Seals, and the most truly 

 carnivorous in its dentition, consists mainly of fish, though it is stated 

 by Dr. IJacovit/a that Penguins were accepted as food when thrown 

 overlioard by him from the ' Bclgica.' 



Sir .Tames Eoss found in the stomach of one of these animals no 

 less than 28 lbs. of fish, including Spht/rccnia of 28 inches length, and 

 Xotnthenia of H^ inches. The stomachs of the two young Leopard- 

 Seals killed in the pack-ice contained the remains of Octopus. 



>[r. liernacchi (p. 319) gives the following note : " The Leopard- 

 Seal {Oijmorhinus Icptonyx) is readily distinguished by the great size 

 of its elongated body, by its large, flat square head, with small fierce 

 slit-like eyes set sloping inwards, and by a greater number of spots 

 upon its body than any of the other species. It is not a common 

 Seal, for only three or four specimens were secured by the ' Southern 

 Cross ' P^pedition. It is the largest and fiercest of all the Seals, not 

 hesitatin" to attack a man on being molested. It is a most voracious 

 animal, and feeds upon fish and Penguins. I have seen one near 

 I'ossession Island give chase to a Penguin in the water ; the latter 

 apjKiared to have little chance against such a determined andrapidly- 

 monng foe. In colour the back is of a dark hue, but the most 

 characteristic point seems to be the presence of black as well as tawny 

 sjK>ts on the grey of the upper part of the sides. The young of this 

 Seal is born during the month of September." 



These Seals are easily recognised by their activity and strength, 

 and are tlie largest of all the species of the Antarctic regions. 

 Sir .Tames Ross gives 850 lbs. as the weight of one of these Seals, 

 measuring 12 feet from nose to the tip of the tail, and 6 feet round 

 the bcwly. 



The largest skin of the Otjmorhmus brought home l)y the 

 • tSoitthtni Cross ' mea.sured nearly 11 feet from nose to tail. 



When lying on the ice, as is well seen in Mr. Bernacchi's excellent 

 j>huto;,n-a]»hs of this Seal, the sides bulge and the whole animal is 

 lliiltene«l out, much as a Lizard spreads itself to catch the full rays of 

 a hot sun. 



The " Tnie Sea-leopard," as this species is sometimes called, is 



