PnOCIDiE.- 



-MAMMALIA.- 



-Phocid^. 



127 



THE SEA-LION {Otariajubata).—Mach discrepancy 

 dF opinion has all along existed in regard to the distinc- 

 tions of these aberrant forms of seals, and even now 

 nuich confusion remains respccthig them. Several 



species have been included under the above title by 

 UiU'erent voyagers. The true Sea-lion is a huge animal, 

 the males measuring from ten to fifteen feet in length 

 (lig. 38). The fur has a yellowisli-browu colour, the 



Fit-, as. 



The Sea-Lion (Otaria jubata). 



neck of the male being provided with a well-developed 

 m.uie. The ears are only half an uich in length, or 

 rather more, the muzzle being armed with numerous 

 stout long whiskers. This species is also polygamous, 

 a single male tending from twenty to thirty females. 

 They are very fierce and powerful animals, waging 

 destructive wars upon the sea-bears. The Sea-lion is 



Fig. 39. 



principally found off the coasts of Terra-del-Fuego and 

 the Falkland Islands. 



THE SEA-ELEPHANT {Morunga prohoscidca) is a 

 gigantic and extraordinary-looking animal. In Profes- 

 sor Nilsson's arrangement it is described as a species 

 of Cystopliora, a genus which is equivalent to the 

 Macrorhinus of F. Cuvier. The title here employed 



( 





The Sea- Elephant (Moninga proboscidea). 



is that given in the list of Phocidoe contained in the 

 British Museum. The body of an adult Sea-clcphant 

 attains the enormous length of four-and-twenty feet, 

 some specimens, it is said, considerably exceeding this 

 measurement ; the young at the time of bu'th being 



about the size of a full-gi-own Phoca vUuUna! The 

 most singular feature in this species, however, consists 

 in the presence of a strongly-developed proboscidiform 

 muzzle in the male, capable of being extended to a dis- 

 distance of twelve inches beyond the mouth, and conse 



