4G 



OKDEKS OF MAMMALS— SEALS AND SEA-LIONS 



exterminated." There was " practically no com- 

 plaint" of fish destruction "at the time of the 

 investigation. Sea-Lions were scarcely ever seen 

 in the vicinity of the salmon nets during 1901." 

 At the mouth of the Columbia River, "the 

 fishermen were unanimous in their denunciation 

 of the Sea-Lions." "The shallow water and the 

 large number of salmon make that point a favor- 

 ite feeding ground, and there is no doubt that the 

 Sea-Lions are doing much damage there." "It 



the strength of general opinions; for a supposed 

 enemy may, on careful investigation, prove to 

 be a friend. 



Steller's Sea-Lion,^ the largest Sea-Lion in 

 the world, inhabits a few isolated spots on the 

 Pacific coast, from Santa Cruz, California to Ber- 

 ing Strait. Large male specimens attain an 

 average length of 10 to 11 feet, stand 6 feet high, 

 and attain a weight estimated by competent ob- 

 servers at 1,400 pounds. The full-grown male 



STELLER S SEA-LION. 



appears that the Sea-Lions are doing very little 

 damage anywhere excepting at the mouth of the 

 Columbia River." (Report, page 117.) 



A summary of the results of the investigation 

 establishes three facts: 



1. The California Sea-Lion is not guilty of 

 destroying fish to any great extent, and deserves 

 protection, not death. 



2. Steller's Sea-Lion eats miscellaneous fish; 

 but on the coast of California docs nothing to 

 merit destruction. At the mouth of the Co- 

 lumbia it is destructive, and there deserves to be 

 kept in check. 



3. Wild animals never should be destroyed on 



has a girth of S to 9 feet, a lion-like head, coarse 

 neck hair 4 inches long, and canine teeth like a 

 grizzly bear, which are much used in fighting. 



The full-grown females are from S to 9 feet 

 long, weigh from 400 to 500 pounds and are more 

 finely formed. The hair is coarse, and the ani- 

 mal is now of practically no commercial value, 

 save for its oil. This species is readily distin- 

 guished from the California sea-lion by its far 

 greater size, its hoarse voice, the very large neck, 

 and the long, coarse neck hair of the males. 



In its habits, this great Sea Lion is very pe- 

 culiar. Amongst themselves the old males 

 ' Eu-me-to' pi-as stel'ler-i. 



