1887] The Extermination of the Great Northern Sea-Cow, 1049 
_ Unfortunately, Steller, in describing this animal and its habits, 
only says that he found it numerous and in herds, without stating 
exactly how numerous or in how large herds. We are thus left 
to guess at their probable number when first found; and from 
what he says in regard to their habits and the places they fre- 
_ guented, and from what I know of the natural conditions of the 
bland, I should regard fifteen hundred as rather above than 
below the probable number. It must be remembered that the 
| Sta-cow was an extremely bulky animal, twenty-four to thirty 
ket long, which lived chiefly near the mouths of the rivulets, 
_ feeding on the sea-weeds, especially the large Lamellarias. There | 
| are hardly more than fifteen places on the island which could 
afford them suitable grazing-grounds, and if each of these were 
-gularly visited by an average of one hundred animals, one 
Would easily be impressed by their number, especially if divided 
"Pinto five to ten herds of from ten to twenty individuals. 
: There can hardly be any doubt that these animals were the 
; last survivors of a once more numerous and more widely dis- ' 
h 
_ Mbuted species, which had been spared to that late date because 
Tan had not yet reached their last resort. It is, then, pretty 
ag to assume that this colony was not on the increase, and that, 
_ Inder the most favorable circumstances, the number of surviving 
eat 
aire aa 
Snot all, for more than half of the expeditions which win- 
there did so for the express purpose of laying in stores of 
» meat for their farther journey, which usually lasted two 
S years more, ; 
Pkr to substantiate the above assertion, I shall give a 
e i t of the expeditions which are Anown to have winte 
Island during the twenty years in question. The old 
