The Sea-Lion's Den 291 



rocks, where they lie in the sun and keep up a barking 

 that can be heard a long distance. 



The sea-lion is a very clever animal, lying on the 

 rocks during the day, basking in the sun ; and as the 

 latter disappears, he tumbles overboard, often swimming 

 twenty or thirty miles up the coast, going at a rapid 

 rate, entering the bays, especially those where fisher- 

 men make their headquarters. In Avalon Bay the bark- 

 ing of sea-lions can sometimes be heard all night, one 

 or more remaining there until all the fishes thrown 

 overboard are removed. They are so tame that fisher- 

 men, in washing fish, have had it snatched from their 

 hands, and they will often follow fishermen about and 

 steal the bait as fast as they can put it on, yet never 

 appear above water, the angler thinking it a fish, the 

 sea-lion just bringing the tip of his nose to the surface 

 to breathe. Sometimes during the day you may find 

 them lying in the kelp beds, and they rarely venture far 

 from shore, as there the big orcas and sharks chase 

 them. An orca was killed up the coast at Sequel some 

 years ago that contained five sea-lions. 



In all probability, one of the most remarkable sea- 

 lion rookeries in the world is in the Painted Cave, at 

 the island of Santa Cruz, one hundred miles north of 

 Santa Catalina, where boats can be chartered for the 

 trip, or at Santa Barbara, directly opposite. This cave 

 leads in under the mountain at Point Diablo. As I 

 tried to land on the slippery ledge of a rookery not far 

 from here, intending to go ashore, the sea-lions came 



