222 



KNOWLEDGE. 



[December 1, 1898. 



into Otaria, containing only the Patagonian sea-lion (with 

 its various synonyms) and Arctoci'phulus, comprising all the 

 other species." The latter have narrower and more pointed 

 noses and longer ears, besides other anatomical differences. 

 The most notable is the Patagonian sea-lion {Otaria juhata), 

 which is represented by a living specimen in the gardens 

 of the Zoological Society. Besides intabiting Patagonia 

 and the coasts of South America, this remarkable animal 

 is also found in the Falklands. As is well known to fre- 

 quenters of the Zoological Gardens, this animal in captivity 

 becomes remarkably tame, and even shows great affection 

 to those who attend to its wants. The Cape sea-lion (Otaria 

 piisilUi) inhabits the islands south of Africa. A living 

 representative of this species is also to be seen at the 



[ The ratagunian 8oa-Lion {Otaria juhata). From Sdater. 

 Proc. Zool. Soc, 186fi, p. 60. 



Society's gardens, its pond being close to that of the public 

 favourite ; it is smaller than the Patagonian sea-lion, and 

 is less familiar to the public. The Australian seas have 

 also a representative. Strictly speaking, perhaps one should 

 exclude most of the (Hariidcp from Antarctic fauna, but in 

 a wide sense most of the localities above mentioned are 

 spoken of as being within the sphere of the Antarctic 

 regions. In places such as South Cieorgia, the South 

 Sbetlands, and the island of Mas-;i-fuero, near Juan Fer- 

 nandez, and other localities where these animals abounded, 

 they now no longer exist, on account of the excessively 

 greedy ravages of man. 



Formerly there was an extensive fur-seal trade in South 

 America and the Falkland Islands, in Australia, and in 

 South Africa ; but now there are so few seals m these 

 localities that they are not worth hunting. In the Falk- 

 land Islands, however, it is pleasing to hear that the 

 fur-seals are now increasing in numbers, the most rigid 

 protection being enforced ; but with no telegraphic com- 

 munication, and with no railways in the islands, poachers 

 are said often to be able to secure a considerable amount 

 of booty and make off before the authorities are able to 

 enforce the law. In islands lying within New Zealand or 

 Tasmanian waters a close season has also recently been 

 proclaimed. 



The true seals are represented by five species and two 

 genera [Allen); they are the white Antartie seal {Stem- 

 rhyncus carcinophaf/a), sometimes called the " crab-eater 

 seal " (for what reason it is difficult to say) ; the sea-leopard 

 seal [Stowrhi/ncus leptoni/.r) ; Weddell's false sea-leopard 



seal (Stetiorhyncus Weddellii) ; Ross's large-eyed seal {Steno- 

 rhijnciis Rossii) ; and, lastly, the monster seal known as the 

 " sea-elephant seal" (Cystophora t'lejihantina). Skulls, and 

 in some cases complete skeletons, of most of these seals are 

 exhibited in the British I\Iuseum, South Kensington, and 

 the College of Surgeons' museum, as well as in some of the 

 provincial museums ; one or two stuffed specimens also 

 occur. 



Of these five species the first two, the white Antarctic 

 seal and the large sea-leopard, are most abundant, being 

 found in great numbers on the pack ice. The beautiful 

 white Antarctic seal must surely be a descendant of Rud- 

 yard Kipling's great white seal, which roamed the world 

 around to escape cruel and relentless man. Its coat is of 

 a beautiful creamy white, resembling that of the polar 

 bear, but short-haired, the colour becoming somewhat 

 more intense along the back. Looking at the animal face 

 to face, its coat appears silvery, and the dorsal stripe almost 

 vanishes ; but when looked at from behind it assumes a 

 deeper cream colour, and the broad stripe along the back 

 becomes quite prominent. The full-grown animal may 

 attain a length of about seven feet. The sea-leopard is a 

 very striking animal, and, with the exception of the sea- 

 elephant, is the largest of all seals. In the recent Antarctic 

 expedition (1892 — 3) some were met with that measured 

 over thirteen feet in length. Their coat is a dark brown- 

 grey and mottled, becoming paler grey below, and in some 

 cases almost black on the back. A rather striking and not 

 altogether inappropriate name was given to these seals by 

 the sailors in the recent cruise ; they called them " ser- 

 pents," and they do really often look very serpent-hke with 

 their long necks and green eyes. Weddell's false sea- 

 leopard is more rarely met with, and is nearly as large 

 as the sea-leopard, but less shapely and more thickly 

 blubbered ; its head is smaller, fore flippers very small, 

 coat more woolly and of a dark brown-grey. Ross's large- 

 eyed seal is a beautiful creature, with bright and affectionate 

 eyes ; in form and size it is very like the white seal, but 

 its coat is of a beautiful mottled grey, darker towards the 

 back. The sea-elephant is the largest of all seals, attaining 

 the enormous length of twenty feet. It is a near relative 

 of the crested seal of the north, and is also found along 

 the Californian coast. The male has a somewhat elongated 

 snout, hence the origin of its name. The females are about 

 one-third less in size. The males are said to come ashore 

 on the Sbetlands about the end of August and beginning 

 of September, and in the first part of October are followed 

 by the females. The males are very fat when they first 

 arrive, but get lean towards the end of December, when 

 they leave the islands. Another herd was said to visit the 

 islands about the middle of .January — when they renew their 

 hair — and still another in March ; by the end of April all 

 returning to the sea. They are very difficult to kill, but, 

 like the other species, allow themselves to be approached 

 even with a club. This seal used to be highly valued for 

 its blubber ; in 1821 and 1822 alone as much as nine 

 hundred and forty tons of sea-elephant oil was taken from 

 the South Sbetlands ; and it may here be mentioned that 

 during these same two years at least three hundred and 

 twenty thousand fur-seals were also taken from these 

 islands. 



It was with the skins and blubber of the first two species 

 of these true seals that the Scottish and Norwegian crafts 

 loaded themselves last season. The slaughter was revolt- 

 ing to one unused to it : within two minutes the seal is 

 brained, deprived of its skin, and its gory corpse left 

 writhing on the snow. Early in the morning, when the 

 sun is beginning to make more or less impression by his 

 rays, and the seals are coming out of the water on to the 



