The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1875-10-23 00:00:00

SEA LIONS AT BRIGHTON.

Mr. Frank Buckland writes to The Times:

"The study of practical natural history and a desire
for a more intimate acquaintance with the wild animals
of the desert and deep sea is, I am glad to find
gradually extending itself in public favour. Travellers,
therefore, in all parts of the world are now bringing us
home from time to time living creatures which up to
recent times were known only from books or stuffed
specimens. Witness, for instance, the arrival a few
weeks ago of the manatee, from Demerara, at the
Zsological Gardens. Now we have some 'sea lions'
at the Brighton Aquarium. The steamer Albatross,
from Bremen, was nearing Blackwall Pier on Tuesday
morning last when I heard a noise on board the ship
something between the roar of a lion and the bray of
a donkey : this was the announcement by the male sea
lion of the safe arrival of himself and wife in England.
Jumping on board the ship, I anxiously inspected
the sea lions. They were enclosed in two large cases,
through the bars of which they could easily be
seen. We wanted to land them at Blackwall, but, as
usual, there was a bother with the Custom e authori-
ties. The beasts, therefore, were taken on to Deptford.
They looked very hungry, so I rushed off to Billings-
gate and procured twenty pounds of mackerel. Shortly
afterwards I joined the lions at Deptford. Mr. Reeves
Smith and Mr. Henry Lee, of the Brighton Aquarium,
and myself were anxious to land the seals at Deptford.
We were nearly obtaining the leave to do so when we
suddenly recollected the rule 'that any animal arriv-
ing alive at Deptford should be killed immediately.'
We, therefore, gave the sea lions their supper and left
them for the night. On Wedaesday morning I went
to the gardens and, through the kindness of Mr. Dea-
r lett, obtained the services of M. Le Compte, the well-
known, kind hearted custodian of the seals. With a
, good deal of hauling and contriving we managed to get
the dens into a van. An express soon rattled us down
to Brighton. Arriving at the naturalist's room, Le Compte
gave his report as follows :—` They are splendid animals,
in fair condition, but very thin. I will Won cure that.
Though savage at present, these pretty beasts will soon
become tame if you gain their affection, and in three
weeks I guarantee I would make them peform like my
Minnie, Fax, Billy, and Kate at the gardens. They
are not the same as my sea bears; the head is diffe-
rent, the voice different. Feed them with whiting
rather than mackerel,but be very careful about fish hooks
The hooks are left by the fishermen in the fish, the
animal swallows the fish, hook and all, and die a
miserable death in consequence.' Le Compte then
began to talk to and pet the beasts. They seemed to
acknowledge his great power of kindness over their
race. These sea lions are Otaria Stelleri. Some seals,
such as the common seal, have no ears; some, as the
sea lion, have ears—hence the name Otaria.' The
name Stelleri 'is given in honour of Steller. It is a
very bad plan to give animals names after people.
Steller described this animal 126 years ago in his
book entitled 'De Bestiis Marinis.' They have been
found in Kamschatka. The animals at Brighton
are about six feet long; their colour when wet is
something like that of the otter; when dry the
fur of the female has a bright chestnut colour,
particularly about the head. When full grown a
sea licn is a' out 15ft. long, and weighs 16cwt. The
home of these seals is the ocean and shores between
Russian North America and the opposite shores of
Russia itself—that is to say about Behrings Straits and
Behrings Sea. They are found also in the Curile
islands and east coast of Kamschatka. The present
specimens have been brought to England from Cali-
fornia through San Francisco, New York, thence to
Bremen, and when we consider the immense distance
they have travelled in their wooden cases, we should
be thankful they are in such good condition. Among
the Curile islands we are told there is one of very pic-
turesque form, consisting of rocks representing build-
ings. There sea lions abound. Captain Shunberg calls
this place 'The Palace of Sea Lions.' The males have a
fierce aspect, and if reduced to extremities they will
turn and fight. For this reason the natives of Kam-
schatka never attack them in the open sea, nor without
many precautions; on land they hunt them with
harpoons, arrows, and lances. The older sea lions
bellow like bulls; the younger bleat like sheep. They
bolt their fish whole, without the slightest attempt
at mastication. Le Compte has prescribed stones for
them. He says all his seals swallow stones to grind
their food. He once found no less than 321 ts of
stones in the stomach of a large sea elephant. Many
creatures in the sea are called by the names of land
animals. Thus we have a sea fox,' a sea wolf,' a
sea hare,' a sea mouse,' a 'sea snake,' a sea horse,' a
sea porcupine,' a sea hedgehog,' a cat fish,' and a
dog fish,' &c. The Brighton animals have received
the names of sea lions.' The old bulls are said to
have a mane. They certainly are savage, and have
terrific voices. The sea lions are nearly related to the
true 'sealskin jacket' seal. The best seal islands are
those of St. Paul and St. George, at Alaska. The seals
come here in the summer months in tens of thousands
to breed. The men, forming themselves into a line,
cut off the seals from the sea, and drive them like a
flock of sheep on shore out of sight of the herd, where
they are killed. They allow to return to the sea all
the animals that are not eligible; they thus keep up
the stock, while they kill only those who possess
the best coats. The seal skin consists of a long
fur above and a soft elastic fur like velvet under-
neath. It is this latter fur only that is made into
ladies' jackets ; the longer or outer hairs are
removed by a very ingenious process. I see that in
nearly all the ladies' jackets the fur is put the wrong
way of the grain. If it was put the right way I am
sure the jacket would last a great deal longer. Surely
the seal knows which way to wear his own skin. The
sales of seals, otter, beaver, and other furs by the Hud-
son's Bay Company is one of the most interesting sights
in London. The authorities of Brighton have con-
structed a pretty marine cave where their sea lions
may be seen either resting on land or else performing
those wonderful evolutions which cetacea alone can
perform in the water. Mr. Henry Lee is publishing
an exhaustive pamphlet on their history and habits.
These beautiful and interesting representatives of
living eealekin jackets cannot tail to be a great ad-
dition to the fine collection of living inhabitants of the
great waters already on view in the Marine Zoo-
logical Gardens' at the Brighton Aquarium."