25 



It is recorded by Captain Cook and Mr. Forster ttat the largest 

 male seen by them was fourteen feet in length, with a weight of about 

 1,600 lbs., but such a size is now very rarely met with in this persecuted 

 race, and a male of nine or ten feet would, in the present day, be con- 

 sidered an animal of unusual bulk. 



The head is small in proportion to the bulk of the body, and pug- 

 like in expression ; the upper lip overhangs the lower one, and both 

 are furnished with long, coarse, black bristles ; the body is thick and 

 cylindrical, more suited for rolling than walking. These animals herd 

 together in great numbers, but each group consists of one male and ten 

 or twelve adult females, with a family of from fifteen to twenty young 

 ones, from the sucking cub to the yearling. 



According to Captain Cook — " it is not at all dangerous to go among 

 them, for they either fled or lay still. The only danger was in going 

 between them and the sea, for, if they took fright at any thing, they 

 would come down in such numbers that if you could not get out of 

 their way you would be run over. When we came suddenly upon 

 them, or waked them out of their sleep (for they are sluggish, sleepy 

 animals), they would raise up their heads, snort and snarl, and look 

 fierce, as if they meant to devour us ; but, as we advanced upon them, 

 they always ran away, so that they are downright bullies." And Mr. 

 Forster, in his description of them, says : — " We put into a little cove, 

 imder the shelter of some rocks, and fired at some of these fierce 

 animals, most of whom immediately threw themselves into the sea. 

 Some of the most unwieldy, however, kept their ground, and were 

 killed by our buUets. The noise which all the animals of this kind 

 made was various, and sometimes stunned our ears. The old males 

 snort and roar like mad bulls or lions ; the females bleat exactly like 

 calves, and the young cubs like lambs." 



SEALS without external ears- 



Molars single-rooted. 



FamUy II. TRICHEOHID^.^ 



Waletjs, or MoBSE.^ 

 Incisors t^ canines ~, molars |-| ^ 34 in young animal. 

 „ °^, „ J4 .. t* - 18 in the old animal. 



Upper canines prolonged downwards into enormous tusks ; molars 

 small, slightly lobed, single-rooted ; head round, obtuse ; muzzle large, 

 very broad ; lips thick, covered with coarse, strong, semi-transparent, 

 bristles ; nostrils large, placed high on the muzzle ; eyes small, prominent ; 



1 flp(|, Tpix<5s. head with bristles, and ex") having. 

 ' Jdoris, BuBsian name of the animal. 



