OCEANIC MAMMALS 461 



historical review by Huey (1930a), its numbers in 1892 were 

 reduced to but nine individuals (with doubtless a few others at 

 sea), and of these nine, seven were killed (Townsend, in Jordan 

 and others, 1899). From this lowest ebb the herd recovered 

 until by 1907, when Rothschild's expedition visited Guadalupe, 

 there were about 40 lying on the beach. Of these, 14 were 

 killed and preserved as specimens. The remoteness of their 

 island haunt is probably what saved the species from complete 

 annihilation. At length, in 1911, the Mexican Government 

 passed legislation for the complete protection of this seal, of 

 which in March of that year the population had again shown 

 an increase to about 125. By 1922, Huey (1924) reports, this 

 number had increased to about 264. He was able to secure a 

 number of photographs of the animals, lying unalarmed on the 

 beach. Townsend (1930b) visited the island again on Septem- 

 ber 27, 1929, and by careful count ascertained that no less than 

 469 elephant seals were lying on the beach. This number, 

 Townsend believes, probably represented only a part, perhaps 

 half, of the herd, since the number of breeding adults was less 

 than in 1911. There was no evidence that the animals had 

 been molested, for they were altogether fearless and showed no 

 concern as Dr. Townsend's party walked among them. This 

 increase is no doubt to be correlated with the fact that of 

 recent years they have occasionally appeared once more off 

 the coasts of southern California, as near Santa Cruz Island 

 in 1921, San Miguel Island in 1923, off Santa Barbara in 1927, 

 and off San Diego in 1929 (one killed) (Huey, 1930b). 



Concerning food and natural enemies, there are apparently 

 none of the latter except perhaps the killer whale, which may on 

 occasion attack the young animals. The food is probably 



Northern elephant seal (Mirounga angustirostris) 



