442 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



another to Lake Baikal, each bearing characters apart from all 

 others of the Pinnipedia. 



A considerable trade in the skins of these animals annually 

 passes through the sales-rooms in Europe, and Bears, Leopards, 

 Lions, and Elephants are vernacular names with which the various 

 markets are familiar. Seals are eared or earless. Of the former 

 there are nine species ; of the latter, fifteen species ; and an inter- 

 mediate mammal, familiarly known as the Walrus, completes the 

 complement. 



Kerguelen'sLand is a large island of about ninety miles by forty 

 miles, and full of fjords, on the coasts of which the Sea-Elephants 

 congregate in number, more especially on the west coast, where they 

 are secure, owing to its ruggedness, dangerous winds, and cur- 

 rents. It is thought they arrive to rear a family in August, and our 

 observations lead us to believe the departure is timed for February 

 and March. During these months they are very restless, and 

 remain no longer the listless creatures of December. A Sea- 

 Elephant is contrary in nature to a Sea-Lion, for, while the 

 former on this island is docile and languid, the latter on the 

 Aucklands is active and savage. The Elephant, on observing a 

 stranger, shows a restless eye, but quickly goes to sleep again. 

 You may then walk through a herd of fifty sleeping animals, and 

 merely disturb one or two for a moment. These hot-blooded 

 creatures vary in size from 6 ft. to 20 ft. 6 in., and we found a 

 skeleton of a young one about 4 ft. in length. The largest were 

 exceedingly difficult to handle ; but, as the enterprise of our ship 

 was principally a commercial one, the business faculty was quickly 

 brought to bear upon any awkward and unwilling customer. 



Many of the animals would weight approximately two to six 

 tons. No five men could turn a large bull over without special 

 levers, and it needed seven sealers to haul half a skin along the 

 sand to the boat in waiting. As for dragging a whole skin, that 

 was quite out of the question under the circumstances. For 

 museum purposes we made a preparation of one, and this we feared 

 would break the tackle while being drawn on board from the end of 

 a tow-line. Its length was only 14 ft. 9 in., with a girth of 10 ft. 

 10 in. about the pectoral girdle. From shoulder to shoulder it 

 measured 5 ft. 6 in. The circumference at the base of the flippers 

 was 3 ft. 6 in. 



