THE SEA BEAR, OR URSINE SEAL. 



is about forty to fifty on an average, it will be seen that the family must be very extensive 

 when the young are added to their number. From one hundred to a hundred and 

 twenty is not at all an uncommon number for a single family of Sea Bears. 



No family will allow the members of another household to crouch upon their territo- 

 ries, and it is very seldom that such an attempt is made. Sometimes, however, trespass- 

 ers are detected, and then there is a general fight upon the beach, in which the animals 

 of both sexes and all ages fight with great fury. They will not even permit a human being 

 to encroach upon their domains, but advance upon him with such threatening cries and 

 such menacing display of gleaming teeth that he is forced to make his escape as he best 

 can. One traveller was so hard beset by these animals that he was fain to climb a rock 

 which they could not surmount, and was watched by them for nearly six hours before 

 he could make good his escape. 



SEA BEAR, OR URSINE SE\L.ArctocephaIus ursious. 



Sometimes an old Sea Bear is seen lying alone in solitary state, not permitting any 

 living being to approach him, and continually uttering low, savage growls. 



The males are very tyrannous in their behavior to their wives, and treat the poor 

 submissive creatures very cruelly. If a mother should happen to drop her cub as she is 

 carrying it off, the male immediately turns upon her and bites her as a punishment for her 

 offence. These animals seem to be very intelligent, and have a great variety of into- 

 nations, by which they can express their meaning so clearly that their language can even 

 be understood by human ears. Their general voice is something like the lowing of a 

 cow, but when they are wounded, they utter long plaintive cries like that of a suffering 

 dog. 



The food of this species consists of sea-otters, small Seals, and other animals, which 

 hold it in great terror. The Sea Bear, however, stands in considerable awe of the sea 

 lion, and does not exercise the same indisputable sway as that animal. The name 

 Arctocephalus is of Greek origin, and signifies " bear-headed." 



