THE SEA ELEPHANT. 117 



surface — and sometimes the throat is more or less marked with white spots. Its 

 proboscis extends from opposite the angle of the mouth forward (in the larger 

 males) about fifteen inches, when the creature is in a state of quietude, and the 

 upper surface appears ridgy ; but when the animal makes an excited respiration, 

 the trunk becomes more elongated, and the ridges nearly disappear. The mouth is 

 furnished with teeth similar to those of the Sea Liom The adult females average ten 

 feet in length between extremities. They are destitute of the proboscis, the nose be- 

 ing like that of the common seal, but projecting more over the mouth. Their canine 

 teeth are shorter, smoother below the sockets, larger at the base, and hollow nearly 

 to the upper point. The sailors on a voyage to the Sea Elephant grounds, not having 

 a supply of tobacco pipes, made them of these teeth, and the quills or leg bones 

 of the j^elican ; the former furnishing the bowls, and the latter the stems. 



The habits of the huge beasts, when on shore, or loitering about the foaming 

 breakers, are in many respects like those of the Leopard Seals. Our observations 

 on the Sea Elephants of California go to show that they have been found in much 

 larger numbers from February to June than during other months of the year ; but 

 more or less were at all times found on shore upon their favorite beaches, wliich 

 were about the islands of Santa Barbara, Cerros, Guadalupe, San Bonitos, Nativi- 

 dad, San Roque, and Asuncion, and some of the most inaccessible points on the 

 main -land between Asuncion and Cerros. Wlien coming up out of the water, they 

 were generally first seen near the line of surf; then crawling up by degrees, fre- 

 quently reclining as if to sleep ; again, moving up or along the shore, appearing 

 not content with their last resting-place. In this manner they would ascend the 

 ravines, or "low-downs," half a mile or more, congregating by hundreds. They 

 are not so active on land as the seals ; but, when excited to inordinate exertion, 

 their motions are quick — the whole body quivering with their crawling, semi- 

 vaulting gait, and the animal at such times manifesting great fatigue. Notwith- 

 standing their unwieldiness, we have sometimes found them on broken and elevated 

 ground, fifty or sixty feet above the sea. 



The principal seasons of their coming on shore, are, when they are about to 

 shed their coats, when the females bring forth their young (which is one at a 

 time, rarely two), and the mating season. These seasons for "hauling up" are 

 more marked in southern latitudes. The different periods are known among the 

 hunters as the "pupping cow," "brown cow," "bull and cow," and "March bull" 

 seasons ; but on the California coast, either from the influence of clim.ate or some 

 other cause, we have noticed young pups with their mothers at quite the opposite 

 months. The continual hunting of the animals may possibly have driven them to 



