Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1873-06-24
SEA LIONS.
A Couple from the san Miguel
IsIRnds-A Cub horn I'm the Gar

IsIRnds-A Cub Born i'm the Sar'
dens.
From the San Francisco Call.
By the steamer Orziaba, which ar
rived on Tuesday from Santa Barbara,
Mr.. Woodward received a consignment
of tive sea lions from the islands of San
Miguel. They have now been conveyed
to the gardens, and are now open to the
inspection Of visitors. When Barnum
was burned out, that indefatlgable ca
terer for the entertainment OF a gener.
GUS public telegraphed 10 Mr.. Woodward
for as many Of his amphibious monsters
as he could spare, and all of them were
sent East, with the exception OF mas
sive male, a small leopard sea, and q
true fur seal. The new caught lions,
with Others yet to be caught, are des-
tined to replace those sent away.
One of the fresh arrivals is a male
black barking seal, weighing perhaps
500 pounds; the other is white female
sea-iion. Both are in respectable con-
dition, though somewhat dirty and de-
iected after eleven days of close quar-
tiers in box. Whether they will thrive
and become lusty, like the fat fellow,
who. for so many weeks, has been un-
disputed lord Of the pool and tyrant of
the rocks, is a question which time alone
can answer, for the sea-lion has usually
a most obstinate fit of inconsistencies,
and even six weeks may elapse ere he
will gulph morsel of the fish thrown to
him. When his period of voluntary
starvation is at an end, he is as much
reduced in flesh as a bear that has hiber-
mated, but when he does take the con-
finement kindly, he develops famous
annette. as all can testify who have
seen chunk after chunk of sturgeon dis
appear down his throat without the
faintest effort at mastication. The black
barking seal is peculiar animal He
differs from his species heretofore rep
resented at the gardens in having Curl
GUS distinctive hood or hump GROWING
his head, like fleecy growth, the fur on
which is longer than that on the body,
and has indeed some resemblance to q
tuft. Why " barking" is applied to him
more particularly, it is difficult to ex-
plain; he gives vent to hoarse, mas
culine growl or roar when he speaks,
and why he should be seal and not
sea- lion is not explainable by differences
of weight or general outline. The head
alone presents variation from the com
mon form; the hump and short, bluff
muzzle suggests family likeness to the
bull dogs eountenance.
An interesting event happened early
Yesterday morning. The female gave
birth to a cub. and students Of natural
history have thus an opportunity which
very rarely presents itself of studying
an amphibious nursing and its dam. 1t
Is the second cub which has first seen
the light Of day at Woodward's. AsNo.
l suecuubed to the adverse conditions
Of its existence, it is hoped that No. 2
will progress TO maturity. The younger
stranger has made its advent well
equipped for the voyage Of life. Its
weight is not less than twenty pounds.
The eyes are open, round and vacant.
Nearly all other parts of the body are
developed, even to the toes on the flip
pers, and documentary tail, and bris-
lies on the snout. Lest the old tyrant
of the pond should show hostility, the
lioness and cub, as well as the barking
seal, are kept away from him, and at
present are without water. The dam
shows great solicitude for her progeny.
Though inclined to snooze yesterday,
scarcely a minute passed that she did
not slowly open her eyes and take jeal-
GUS look around, and at times when the
cub was in imminent danger Of sliding
into ditch, she stretched forward her
head and lifted it close to her fore ftp
pers. The cub has not yet been OBJ
served to suckle. Itmay have the facial
ty Of the hippopotamus for remaining
under water and sucking, and to pro-
vide for this contingency, the dam ought
to have access TO q pond. She has
doubtless a full understa nding Of her
rofbarfv dufiea