Page:The Zoologist, 4th series, vol 4 (1900).djvu/476

442 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 intermediate mammal, familiarly known as the Walrus, completes the complement.

Kerguelen's Land 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 currents. 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.