SEA-LION. 231 



its mate fight with the whole herd for three days, and escape 

 at last with more than a hundred wounds. They allowed 

 the whelps of other Seals to sport near them without offering 

 them the least injury. The old showed but little affection 

 for their young ones, and sometimes, through mere careless- 

 ness, would tread them to death ; they also suffered them to 

 be killed before their eyes without any concern or resentment. 

 The cubs, too, on land are not sportive like those of some 

 other species, but are almost always asleep. They are taken 

 to sea when somewhat advanced : when wearied they mount 

 on their mother's back, whence the male often pushes them 

 to accustom them to the exercise. The males treat the fe- 

 males with great respect, and often caress them. They are 

 polygamous, but usually satisfy themselves with from two to 

 four females a piece. 



The Sea-Lion has not so much fore-paws as fins proceed- 

 ing from the sides of the chest ; they are smooth, of a black 

 color, without any appearance of fingers, with a mere trace 

 of nails : they have the shape of roundish tubercles, and are 

 of a horny consistency ; they are situated at about one-third 

 from the extremity of the paw, the whole form of which is 

 that of an elongated triangle truncated at its point ; it is 

 quite devoid of hair, and deeply striped on its under surface. 

 The posterior extremities are not very unlike the anterior : 

 they have the same black skin underneath, and efearly in- 

 clude five very long and flat toes, which are terminated by 

 thin compressed membranes which extend beyond their ex- 

 tremities ; the small nails, which are placed at the end of the 

 proper fingers, are of no more important use than to enable 

 the animal to scratch itself. 



The illustrious Cook himself states, that the largest of 

 these animals he met with were not more than twelve or 

 fourteen feet in length, and perhaps eight or ten in circum- 

 ference : the female is not half so long, and is covered with 

 short hair of an ash color. He adds " It is not at all dan- 

 gerous to go among them, for they either fled or lay still. 

 The only danger was in going between them and the sea : 



