158 ALASKA. 



Although, as I have already indicated, the sea-lion, iu its 

 habit and disposition, approximates the fur-seal, yet in no 

 respect does it maintain and enforce the system and regu- 

 larity found on the breeding-grounds of the CollorJiimts. The 

 time of arrival at, stay on,, and departure from the island is 

 about the same; but if the winter is an open, mild one, the sea- 

 lion will be seen frequently all through it, and the natives 

 occasionally shoot them around the island long after the fur- 

 seals have entirely disappeared for the year. It also does not 

 confine its lauding to these Prybilov Islands alone, as the fur- 

 seal unquestionably does, with reference to our continent ; for 

 it has been and is often shot upon the Aleutian Islands and 

 many rocky islets of the northwest coast. 



The sea-lion in no respect whatever manifests the intelligence 

 and sagacity exhibited by the fur-seal, and must be rated far 

 below, although next, in natural order. I have no hesitation 

 in putting this JEumetopias of the Prybilov Islands, apart from 

 the sea-lion common at San Francisco and Santa Barbara, as a 

 distinct animal ; and I call attention to the excellent descrip- 

 tion of the California sea-lion, made public iu the April num- 

 ber for 1872 of the Overland Monthly, by Capt. C. M. Scammon, 

 in which the distinguishing characters, externally, of this animal 

 are well defined, and by which the difference between the 

 Eumetopias of Bering Sea and that of the coast of California 

 can at once be seen ; and also I notice one more point in which 

 the dissimilarity is marked — the northern sea-lion never barks 

 or howls like the animal at the Farralones or Santa Barbara. 

 Young and old, both sexes, from one year and upward, have 

 only a deep hass growl, and prolonged, steady roar ; while at Sau 

 Francisco sea-lions break out incessantly with a '' honking" 

 bark or howl, and never roar. 



I am not to be understood as saying that all the sea-lions met 

 with on the Californian coast are different from E. stelleri of 

 Bering Sea. I am well satisfied that stragglers from the north 

 are down on the Farralones, but they are not migrating back 

 and forth every season ; and I am furthermore certain that not 

 a single animal of the species most common at San Francisco 

 was present among those breeding on the Prybilov Islands iu 

 1872-'73. 



According to the natives of Saint George, some fifty or sixty 

 years ago the Eumetopias held almost exclusive possession of 

 the island, being there in great numbers, some two or three 



