THE CALIFORNIA SEA-LION 115 



THE SEA-LION FAMILY 



THE CALIFORNIA SEA-LION/ or BARKING SEA-LION, is 

 the most familiar representative of the first group, for the 

 reason that this species is easiest to catch alive and to keep in 

 captivity. In zoological gardens and travelling shows, this 

 is the animal which cries out so frequently, and with ear- 

 piercing clearness and volume, "How-woo! Hook! Hook! 

 Hook /" It inhabits nearly the entire coast of California, the 

 Farallone Islands, the famous Cliff House rocks, and the 

 Lower California peninsula. Full-grown males are about 7 

 feet in length, weigh about 450 pounds, and all are of a uni- 

 form dark-brown color. An adult female which died in the 

 Zoological Park weighed 112 pounds and measured: length 

 of head and body, 56^ inches; tail, 2% inches; total length 

 from nose to end of hind flippers, 70^ inches; girth, 31J^ inches. 

 These creatures are very active in the water, and can climb 

 rocks, and even high cliffs, with surprising agility. When 

 frightened, Captain Scammon says they will leap from a 

 height of sixty feet into the sea. 



The hair of this animal is very short, coarse, and of no 

 value. The California Sea-Lions rarely eat fish, but live 

 chiefly upon squids, shell-fish, and crabs. For reasons known 

 only to themselves, they swallow many round pebbles, from 

 one to two inches in diameter. We once took sixteen pounds 

 (half a pailful) from the stomach of a medium-sized specimen. 



In captivity all kinds of seals and Sea-Lions live content- 

 edly in fresh water. The value of a living California Sea- 



1 Zal'o-phus cal-i-for-ni-an'us. 



