steller's sea-lion. 211 



back far from the water, generally very close to the surf 

 margm, and in this position it becomes quite a difiicult 

 task for the natives to approach, and get in between it 

 and the sea unobserved, for unless this silent approach 

 is made, the beast will at once take the alarm and bolt 

 into the water. 



" Those that go for the water are of course lost, but 

 the natives follow the land leaders and keep urging 

 them on, and soon have them in their control, driving 

 them back into a small pen, which they extemporize by 

 means of little stakes with flags, set around a circuit 

 of a few hundred square feet, and where they keep 

 them until three or four hundred, at least, are captured, 

 before they commence their drive of ten miles overland 

 to their village. 



" After the drove has been brought to the village on 

 the killing grounds, the natives shoot down the bulls 

 and then surround and huddle up the cows, spearing 

 them just behind the fore flippers." 



This is not a well-defined species. It appears very 

 like a large Alaska Fur Seal ; it is about 10 feet long, 

 and is of the same grizzly colour. We are inclined to 

 the opinion that this species may prove to be the aged 

 animals of the Alaska Fur Seal. According to Elliott, 

 it has similar habits, being divided into classes, taking 

 the alarm so readily, and arriving at and leaving the 

 islands at the same time ; it has the same length of 

 flipper. The colour and the habitat are also similar. 

 The decrease of the Sea-Lions on St. George Island 

 being simultaneous to the increase of the Fur Seal is a 

 remarkable fact. 



The flesh certainly seems to be different, being of a 

 better flavour ; but this may perhaps be owing to the 

 greater amount of blubber. Where the fur is abundant, 



p 2 



