EVEKMANN — STELLEB SEA LION BOOKEKY 
17 
the maximum number in one sea lion, while the quantity of fish was 
large, at least 35 pounds being taken from one stomach. Of the 13 
California sea lions whose stomachs contained food, five had eaten 
fish and eleven had eaten squid. The quantity of fish was trivial, 17 
small fish being the maximum, while the remains of 100 to 300 squid 
were found in each of five stomachs. These studies indicated that the 
Steller sea lion is largely a fish eater and that the California sea lion 
feeds chiefly on squid. 
Further north, off the mouth of the Columbia, the fishermen claimed 
that the Steller sea lions do great damage to the salmon fisheries, but 
Mr. Rutter was not able to secure much convincing evidence. 
While the investigations of the Rutter party were not sufficiently 
comprehensive or prolonged to warrant a final decision, they show 
rather definitely that sea lions cause very little damage to the fisheries, 
and the little injury that is done is caused by the Steller sea lion, the 
Cahfornia sea lion being almost entirely guiltless. 
It is a matter for regret that these investigations were not continued. 
Apparently no further study of the habits of the sea lions on the Cali- 
fornia coast has been made since 1901. 
Recently representations have been made to Capt. H. W. Rhodes, 
superintendent of lighthouses, 18th District, that sea lions are doing 
great damage to the commercial fisheries and permission to kill sea 
lions on the lighthouse reservations has been requested. On June 24, 
1920, the Bureau of Fisheries wired me asking whether I would recom- 
mend granting to private companies the privilege of killing sea lions 
for commercial purposes on the lighthouse reservations. Before reply- 
ing to the Bureau I decided to visit Ano Nuevo Island and make a study 
of the present condition of that rookery. 
This I did in company with Mr. Joseph Mailliard, curator of birds 
and mammals in the museum of the California Academy of Sciences. 
Permission to land on the island was given us by Captain Rhodes who 
also kindly instructed the keeper to show us every courtesy and assist 
us in everyway possible. We reached the island soon after noon 
June 27 and remained until noon the next day. 
The largest and most important Steller sea lion rookery now on the 
Cahfornia coast is that on Ano Nuevo (or New Year’s) Island. This 
island lies about one-half mile off shore, 13 miles below the quaint little 
village of Pescadero, or 63 miles down the coast from San Francisco. 
The island consists of one main body with an area of two or three acres 
and a number of outlying rocks upon which the sea lions haul out and 
JOtJENAL OP MAMMALOGY, VOL. 2, NO. 1 
