The animals of Australia : mammals, reptiles and amphibians / by A.H.S. Lucas ; assisted by W.H. Dudley Le Souëf.
- Arthur Henry Shakespeare Lucas
- Date:
- 1909
Licence: In copyright
Credit: The animals of Australia : mammals, reptiles and amphibians / by A.H.S. Lucas ; assisted by W.H. Dudley Le Souëf. Source: Wellcome Collection.
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![not feed; the males especially, on their return to what must be considered their natural element, are greatly emaciated.” — (Ogilby). Genus Zalophus. IMolars five in each jaw, large: ninzzle narrow: sagittal crest, in very old males, forming a high thin bony plate of remarkable size. South and West xVnstralia; Japan. The Australian Sea Lion. Zalophus lohatus. Adult males up to ten feet in length, females mnch smaller. Fnr dark or blackish-brown, that of the back of the head and neck rich deep fawn colour. Eyes black. Gilbert, in writing to Gould over forty years ago, says: ‘‘This animal is extremely numerous on all the low islands of the Hontraan’s Abrolhos, particularly those having sandy beaches; but it does not confine itself to such places, being often found on the ridges of coral and madre]iores, over which we found it very painful walking, but over which the seals often outran ns. On many of the islands they have been so seldom (perhaps, even, never before) disturbed, that I frequently came upon several females and their young in a group under the shade of the mangroves; and so little were they alarmed, that they allowed me to approach almost ivithin the reach of my gun, when the young would play about the old ones, and bark and growl at us in the most amusing manner; and it was only when we struck at them with cluhs that they shoAved any disposition to attack us or defend their young. The males, however, would generally attack the men, AAdien attempting to escape; but, generany speaking, the animal may be considered harmless, for even after being disturbed, they seldom attempt to do more than take to the water as quickly as possible.” A fossil seal, found in the Hiocene of Victoria, seems to be most likely identical Avith this species.](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b28108759_0031.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
