Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1896-09-24
HABITS OF SEA LIONS.
Some Facts Concerning These Strange
Deep Sea Creatures.

Some Fact. Concerning These Strange
Deep sea Creatures.
Captain Mullett, says the Cincin-
natl Commercial Tribune, gave re-
porter some valuable information
concerning the capture and the hab-
It's OF sea lions. They are the most
interesting of animals, said he,
and I believe they can be taught to
DO almost anything. have watched
their movements for % years and
have naturally learned something
about them. There IS one time IL
the year to go after them, and that
is during the breeding season, which
begins about the 1st of June and
lasts for about three weeks. When
that period ends, the males, under
the leadership of a chief, 90 away
from the females, and we have new
CT found where they 90.
"They come again the next year,
and it is curious TO see how they ar
range their harems, for the sea lion
is polygamous. The old bull who Is
leader crawls up TO rookery which
may contain 200 females. He appears
TO count them, for he tolls off six or
eight of the males which are in his
flock, and they take possession.
There is much confusion until each
male gets his share OF the females,
but after that all is serene. provided
there is no flirting If there is, there
is sure to be terrific fight. Ordi-
narily there is but little trouble.
ut is during this lovemaking pc
Rod that l catch my sea liops. The
males stay out of the water all the
time and do not eat, and the females
are not so wary as at other times.
We use a small steamer, and, sight
ing a rookery, try to get near it
without discovery, which is hard
thing 10 DO. The animals have sen
tinel who has keen eyes and gives
notice Of the approach Of danger
But we get cut of sight in small
boats and land.
Then we cautiously work toward
the herd, hiding behind rocks until
we get between them and the water
at low tide. Each man carries a
lasso, and l am, perhaps, the only
man who can make a Iasso stick for
a short time on a sea lion neck.
Their heads are smaller than their
necks, and it is very hard to keep
the rope there, but 1 give it a Ger
tain twist that holds it until the
animal throws up his tail, when one
of my assistants deity lassoes it.
Then we have him. Ny rope slips
off, but by that time we have & rope
on each fipper. The men with the
cage come. We pull the ropes taut
and throw tho cage over him. By a
trick we turn it over and nail on
the top. When the tide comes in,
the cage, or rather a wooden box
made of inch boards placed three
inches apart, is foated to the vessel
and hoisted on board.
"Of course the sea lion does not
submit tamely to capture, and he
do not hesitate to fight and to take
the offensive. Myself and men have
had some very narro-' escapes, and
it is no unusual thing to get bitten.
They are extremely muscular ami
mails, and, though they look cl1msy
and awkward, can handle themselves
surprisingly we'll even on land. In
the water they arc quicker than
flash.
There are some peculiar things
about the sea lion and his way of
living that few people know about.
The females carry their young 3G5
days, never more, never less, and
breed once a year, having one calf.
Then, did you know that the sea
lion has no tongue? That's true. lie
swallows his fish whole and always
head first. They do not drink water
either, though people say am a liar
when l say so. They absorb it
through their skin. Itwas by watch
ing them during the rutting season
that 1 found that they could live
for days and weeks out of water. ="
ST 25---WashinGeon to Baltimore and
octurn--Sf.25.
Tickets will re soAi va the Pennsylvania
Railroad Saturday aud Sund2y. September
26th and 9th and will he valid for rctur'.
passage until Monday, September 2Sth.
Good on any train
Baggage Transfer.
The Union Transfer Company's WAGONS
will call at the Mount Vernon Railroad Of
flee, 1875 street aud Pennsylvania avenue,
Washington, hourly for the transfer of bag
gage to the several depot,, charge Tor such
transfer being Fifteen Cents.