Mammalia.] 



SUBANTARCTIC ISLANDS OF NEW ZEALAND. 



545 



defends it with true maternal instinct. The young of both sexes are similar to the 

 female in colour. 



On land the seal is clumsy and slow, and the hind limbs appear to be unneces- 

 sarily joined together, so that little independent movement is possible ; a waddling 

 gait is therefore produced. In the water, however, the seal is active and graceful, 

 and will glide past one just beneath the surface of the water for a long distance without 

 the slightest movement of its limbs after its initial impetus. 



Fig. .3. — Young Sf..\-i.ion (Arctocephalus liookeri), Cahni.et H.\bboue, AdckIjAnd Island?. 



The seals are very inquisitive, and will closely follow a boat until a blow from 

 an oar speeds them away without protest. 



As my quest for fishes led me to spend much time alone on the shore, I had 

 especial opportunities of watching the seals. I have seen them, unaware of my 

 presence, systematically searching the crannies of rocks, much after the manner 

 of a dog hunting for food. The stomach of the animal examined at Enderby Island 

 contained remains of octopi and fish.* They were possibly taken among the rocks 

 as above indicated. As mentioned in my article on fishes, the rock-living fishes 

 are extremely wary, doubtless owing to this habit of the seals. 



* Captain BoUons tells me that he nearly always finds remains of the octopus in their stomachs. 

 36— S. 



