510 WILD ANIMALS. 



CHAPTER XXXI. 



EAEED-SEALS {OTARIA) Continued. 



The Ssa-Lions excite more interest in tlie public mind than the 

 Sea-Bears, although people are so dependent on the latter animals 

 for one of their luxuries. This is no doubt due to the specimens 

 that have been exhibited in various places, and have become popu- 

 lar favourites, also perhaps to the fact that, although they dwell 

 periodically in certain isolated islands of the world, yet they do 

 not confine themselves to these secluded spots, but are to be seen 

 disporting themselves on thickly inhabited coasts, and occasion- 

 ally take up a permanent abode on rocks contiguous to such places, 



Stellee's Sea-Lion (Otaria Stelleri) is the Hair Seal of the 

 Pribylov Islands. These animals have a much wider geographical 

 range than the fur-seals which are their fellow-inhabitants of these 

 out-of-the-way rocks, for they are found in many places further 

 south. The sea-lions that sport about on the rocky islets near 

 the entrance to San Francisco Bay are of this species. Their 

 antics constitute one of the sights which attract visitors 

 to the large hotel situated opposite the Seal Rocks, at the 

 mouth of the bay, from where a good view can be obtained 

 of their rookery. One^ conspicuously large specimen was always 

 easily distinguished ; he was known by the name of " Ben 

 Butler," and some people, prone to exaggeration in such matters, 

 used to estimate his weight at 2000 pounds. These sea-lions are, 

 however, much larger in every way than their congeners the sea- 

 bears, for some of them attain a total length of eleven or twelve 

 feet, and a girth around the chest and shoulders of eight or nine 

 feet, and are said to weigh a thousand pounds or more. 



The Calif ornian legislature gave protection by law to the 



