216 NATURAL HISTORY. 



obtain among the Seals is uncertain. Circumstances rather tend to prove it to be more permanent 

 in its resorts, though occasionally some individuals must straggle from the herd, since at intervals its 

 occurrence on the British coast has been recorded. Undoubtedly its area is decreasing, and the 

 remainino- few seek unfrequented spots in high latitudes less accessible to the sealers. In former days 

 their abundance is historically handed down to us in the fact as Dr. Rink, Dr. Robert Brown, and 

 others tell us that the Greenlanders " paid their tribute to the Crusades in the shape of Walrus- 

 tusks, delivered in Bergen in 1327, and their weight is noted in a receipt which is still in existence." 

 But a century ago their numbers were enormous, on the shores of the Gulf of St. Lawrence, sixteen 

 hundred being slaughtered at an onset. Among the first voyagers to Spitzbergen it was no uncommon 

 thing to slay hundreds in a few hours. Lament tells a story of four boats' crews, in 1852, massacring 

 nine hundred Walruses in a herd of some thousands which they discovered in one of the small islands 

 to the south of Spitzbergen. So greedy were the hunters that half of their spoil had to be left behind, 

 and the rotting carcases afterwards raised such a stench that the animals deserted this previously 

 favourite haunt, a sad lesson of man's inhumanity and savage lust of gain. 



The more general opinion is that the flesh of the Walrus is tolerably palatable, and certainly the 

 Eskimo consider the hide a dainty for dessert. The tongue, at least, is excellent, and a favourite dish 

 amongst the whale-fishers and the crews of the various Arctic expeditions. Lament, dining on 

 stewed Walrus veal, mentions its being slightly insipid, but good eating notwithstanding ; the old 

 animal's flesh, however, is by no means so universally admii-ed, although Arctic crews, at a pinch, 

 much prefer it to salt junk. 



At one time a considerable trade was devoted to Walrus-hunting, but the diminishment of then- 

 numbers has practically reduced it to the lowest ebb. The tusks alone have now any commercial 

 significance, but formerly Walrus hides were used for various purposes, such as machine-bands, 

 carriage-springs, rigging of ships, and the like. 



CHAPTER II. 



II. THE SEA LION FAMILY (OTARIID^E). 



Various Names Peculiarities of Distribution Characteristics of the Family Dentition Skull Fossil Remains Dis- 

 tinction between Fur and Hair Seals Preparation of the Seal-skin THE NORTHERN FUR SEAL History The 

 Pribyloff Islands Male, Female, Young "Hauling-grounds" Wintering Males at the Islands in Spring Despe- 

 rate Battles for Seaward Positions Approach of the Females Struggles for Wives The Young Abstinence from 

 Food, Water, and Sleep for more than Two Months Neutral Ground in the " Rookeries " Habits of the Young- 

 Food Annual Slaughter Estimated Numbers Mode of Killing STELLER'S SEA LlON GILLIESPIE'S HAIR SEAL 

 HOOKER'S SEA BEAR The Wreck of the Gfrafton Musgrave's Narrative Sufferings of the Castaways Their 

 Experiences among the Sea Bears THE WHITE-NECKED OTARY Distribution Description " Counsellor Seal "THE 

 PATAGONIAN SEA LION Historical Associations Impetus to the Study of the Family Fran?ois Lecomte Its Docility 

 and Intelligence Its various Performances Voracity Lecomte 's Observations Habits THE FALKLAND ISLAND FOR 

 SEAL Habitat The Hunters' Boats Driven from their Haunts Captain Weddell's Observations Great Wariness 

 and Speed Size Habits THE SOUTH AFRICAN, OR CAPE FUR SEAL THE NEW ZEALAND FUR SEAL THE ASH- 

 COLOURED OTARY Peron's Services to Science. 



THE old voyagers have termed, and the present race of sealers know, members of the Otary family 

 by such names as Sea Lion, Sea Leopard, Sea Bear, Sea Wolf, Sea Dog, &c., and these terms have 

 even passed from seamen to science. The Otariidae, like the Common Seals, are found both in the 

 northern and southern hemispheres, but it is a remarkable fact that the species (some would even say 

 genera) inhabiting the northern and southern regions are perfectly distinct the one from the other. Nay 

 more, the one seems representative of the other. For example, there are a certain number of Fur- 

 bearing Seals, and a certain number of Hair Seals, distributed over a wide area of the Arctic and 

 Antarctic Circles, which, in either case, are spread hither and thither into more temperate latitudes. 

 Indeed, the most recent observations tend to show that these animals are migratory in habit, and fre- 

 quent certain given localities at regular intervals. 



Much confusion for a long time reigned concerning the species of the Sea Lions. This difficulty 



