Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1894-10-25
LEAPlNe FROM HIGH CLIFFS.

Californian Sea Lions Are the Champion
Climbers and Jumpers.
Closely resembling Steller's sea lion
Is the California sea lion, the slim fell
low in the animal show who climbs up
out of the water, all black and shiny,
points his thin neck straight upward,
gazes at the top OF his cage and bavyls
out: t'HoEe! HolSei Hokei'' until all
the little boys outside the tent are
fairly wild to get in. In form and
habits this animal so closely resembles
the smaller specimens of Steller's sea
lion that on the Farallone islands,
where the two species come together.
the difference between them was for
years quite overlooked. Nevertheless
the points of difference between them
are very marked.
The California sea lion is only about
half the size of the preceding species.
The male has less development of neck,
less abundant hair and, being much
lighter in build, is more active in move
ment. Indeed, if reports are true, we
may truthfully call this creature the
champion climber and jumper of all
the plnnipeds in the world. Capt.
ScammOn states that on Santa Bar
bara island the old male sea lions are
in the habit of elm bing to the tops of
the bold rocky cliffs that abound on
its coast, and lying there for days at
time-to enjoy the scenery, perhapsi
What is stranger still, these wonderful
creatures when attacked or thoroughly
alarmed will take flying leaps from the
tops of these same cliffs into the sea.
Capt. Scammon relates how he and his
crew once cornered herd of about
twenty old male sea lions who ''were
collected on the brink of a precipitous
cliff, at height of at least sixty feet
above the rocks which Shelved from
the beach below. Our men were sure.
in their own minds, that by surprising
the animals we could drive them
over the cliff. This was easily accom-
plished; but to our chagrin, when we
arrived at the point below where we
expected to find the huge beasts dis
abled or killed, the last animal of the
whole rookery was seen plunging into
the sea-
The California sea lion is found only
on the coast of California and the pen
insular of Lower California, and its two
centers Of greatest abundance are the
Farallone islands, near San Francisco,
and Santa Barbara island. In former
years immense numbers were killed
paying industry. Owing to the fact
that they are protected by law, they
have become so numerous around the
Cliff house, the Heads and in San Fran
cisco bay, that their wholesale destruc-
ton of valuable food fishes is bitterly
complained of by the fishermen of San
Francisco.
Of all pinnipeds, this species is the
most noisy. lon approaching an island
or a point occupied by a numerous
herd" says Capt. Scammon, lone first
hears their long, plaintive howlings,
as if in distress; but when near them
the sounds become more varied and
deafening. The old males roar so loud
ly as to drown the noise of the heaviest
surf among the rocks and caverns, and
the younger of both sexes croak hoarse-
ly, or send forth sounds like the bleat-
ing of sheep or the barking of dogs.
In fact their tumultuOus utterances
are beyond description
In the water the body of this crea-
ture appears to be a shiny, dark brown.
but when the skin is mounted and dried
in a museum collection the hair is
found to be thin, coarse, very stiff and
OF dirty brownish-yellow color.-W.
T. Hornaday, in st. Nicholas.
EmancipatiOn's Woes.