152 ALASKA. 



THE SEA-LION, (EUMETOPIAS STELLEEI,) "SEB-VITCHIE" OF 

 THE EUSSIANS. 



This animal, although much below the fur-seal with referencfe 

 to intelligence and physical organization, ranks next in natural 

 order, and can, as well as its more sagacious and valuable rela- 

 tive, be seen to better advantage on these islands than else- 

 where, perhaps, in the world. 



By looking at the plate, a glance will show at once the 

 marked difference between this animal and the Callorhinus. It 

 has a really leonine appearance and bearing, greatly enhanced 

 by the rich, golden-rufous of its coat, ferocity of expression, 

 and bull-dog-like muzzle and cast of eye, not round and full, 

 but showing the white, or sclerotic coat, with a light, bright- 

 brown iris. 



Although provided with flippers to all external view as the 

 fur-seal, he cannot, however, make use of them in the same 

 free manner. While the fur-seal can be driven five or six miles 

 in twenty-four hours, the sea-lion can barely go two, the con- 

 ditions of weather and roadway being the same. The sea-lions 

 balance and swing their long, heavy necks to and fro, with every 

 hitch up behind of their posteriors, which they seldom raise from 

 the ground, drawing them up after the fore feet with a slide 

 over the grass or sand, rocks, &c., as the case may be, and 

 pausing frequently to take a sullen and ferocious survey of the 

 field and the drivers. 



The sea-lion bull of Bering Sea, when full-grown and in 

 good condition, will measure off in length 11 to 12.5 feet from 

 nose to tip of tail, (which is seldom over 3 or 4 inches long,) 

 and girth 10. Unfortunately, I was not able to weigh one of 

 these big bulls, and can, therefore, only estimate this weight 

 at a thousand pounds, while, perhaps, some of the largest and 

 finest old fellows will touch twelve to thirteen hundred ; but I 

 doubt it. 



The sea-lion is polygamous, but does not maintain any such 

 regular system and method in preparing for and attention to 

 its harem like that so finely illustrated on the breeding-grounds 

 of the fur-seal. It is not numerous, comparatively speaking, 

 and does not "haul" more than a few rods back from the sea. 

 It cannot be visited and inspected by man, being so shy and 



