THE CAPE SEA LION 
Sea Lions are polygamous. The males swim 
off in advance of the females, each bent upon secur- 
ing the most favourable site for a family home. 
Desperate battles take place, resulting in the 
stronger ones securing the best situations on the 
island. 
On the arrival of the females, fighting is again 
resumed, the endeavour of each male being to secure 
as many females for his harem as he possibly can, 
and, of course, the stronger males secure the greater 
number, which averages usually from a dozen to 
twenty. This is a wise provision of Nature, for 
in this way the most robust of the male seals per- 
petuate the species and prevent the race de- 
teriorating. 
After the arrival of all the females, fighting 
ceases, and the males mount guard over their re- 
spective establishments. Should one of them ven- 
ture to leave his harem to secure a meal of fish in 
the sea, the others instantly take advantage of his 
absence to steal away some of his family. How- 
ever, after a time, when the amative excitement 
of the males subsides they are not so furiously 
jealous, and venture into the shallows adjacent to 
hunt for fish fora meal. When the males arrive first 
on the islands they are sleek and fat, and it is well 
for them that they have a surplus of fatty tissue, 
for so great is their jealousy of one another, and so 
carefully do they guard the females and cubs, that 
for several weeks they fast completely, not even 
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