Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1896-08-29
HABITS OF SEA LIONS.
Some Facts Concerning These Strang,
Deep Sea Creatures.

natl Commercial Tribune, gave q re-
porter some valuable information
concerning the capture and the hab-
its of sea lions. They arc tho most
interesting of animals" said he,
"and / believe they Gun be taught to
do almost anything. I have watched
their movements for rs years and
have naturally learned something
about them. There is ono time in
the year to go after them, and that
is during the breeding season. which
begins about the LIST of June and
lasts for about three weeks. When
that period ends. the males, under
the leadership of n chief, go away
from the females, and we have new
or found where they 60.
"They come again the next year,
and it is curious to see how they ar
range their hGrc:nS, for the sea lion
is polygamous. Tho old bull who is
leader crawls up to rookery which
may contain 200 females. He appears
to count them, for he tolls Ctf six or
eight of tho males which arc in his
flock, and they take possession.
There is much infusion until each
malo gets his share Of the females,
but after that ull is serene, provided
there is no flirting. ii there is, there
is sure to boa terrific fight. Ordi-
narily tho, is but little trouble.
ut is during this Low emaking pc.
Rod that | catch my sea lions. The
males stay out of tho water all the
time and do not eat, and tho females
are not SO Tarv rs at other times.
We uso q small steamer, and, sight.
ing u rookery, try to get near it
without discovery, which is hard
thing to do. Thonnimuls havea sem
tinel who has keen eyes and gives
notice of the approach of danger.
But we get out of sight in small
boats and land.
'Then wo cautiously work toward
the herd, hiding behind rocks until
we get bot ween them and tine water
, at low tide. Each man carries
lasso, and ! am, perhaps, the only
man who can make lasso stick for
q short timo on sea lions neck.
Their heads are smaller than their
necks, and it is very hard to keep
the rope there, but I give it GER
tain twist that holds it until the
animal throws up his tail. when ono
of my assistants deity lassoes it.
Then we have him. My rope slips
of, but by that time VIC Lavo Il rope
on each ripper. Tho 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
tho cop. When the tide comes in,
the cage, CT rather a wooden box
made Of inch boards placed three
inches apart, is lic1ted to the vessel
and hoislul on board.
"Of course the soa lion does not
submit tamely to capture, ami he
do not hesitate TO fight and to take
the Offensive. Myself and men have
had some very narrow escapes. and
it is no unusual thing to got bitten,
They are extremely muscular ami.
mails, and, though they look clumsy
and awk ward, can handle themselves
! surprisingly we'll even on Land. In
the water they are quicker than Il
fash.
"There arc some peculiar things
about tho sen lion and his way Of
living that few psople know about.
Tho females carry their young 365
days, mover more, never less, and
breed once year, having ono calf.
Then, did you know that the sea
lion has no tongue! That is true. lie
swallows his fish whole and always
head first. They do not drink water
either, though people say I am a liar
when ! say so. They absorb it
through their skin. 1t was by watch
ing them during the rutting season
that ! found that they could live
for days and weeks out Of water"
81 would ask you to speak to-
day." said the campaign manager,
''but the platforms are full"
GOOD Lord!" cried the new can
didate, "have | got to go off and
start new party !'-Atlanta Consti-
tuition.
"Roys will h. VS." but yna cm'. af
ford to lose any of them. BE ready for
I he greer. arp'c ason by having De-
Wits C. lie & Cholera Cure in the house.
A. b. Morgan, Woodstock; Scott Tink.
mn,, Qnrchea.
The Iruo "Iallo ping Dick"
Robbing alone, Hind could afford
to despisu l.dlntry. Did lie meet
traveleE who I: nused lis fancy, he
would give linn tho password C'The
hddlcr's paid, or what not), as
though tho highway had not its
codu of morals, and he did not scru-
pie, when it served his purpose, to
rob the bunglcrs of his own pro.
fession. BY tnis means indeed lie
raised the stan lard of the road and
warned the incompetent to embrace
an easier trade.
While Captain Hind never took q
shilling without sw eetening his dep.
relation with IL joke he was, like all
bumorists. an acute philosopher.
Remember what I tell you,' said
he to the foolish persons who once at.
tempted to rob him, the master thief
of England. Disgrace not your
self for small SUNS. but dim high
and for great ones. The least will
bring you to the gallows. There,
in three lines, is the theory of thiev-
-. Ian,