ELEPHANT, SEA, Macrorhinus proboscicleus, also known as the ELEPHANT SEAL, the PROBOSCIS SEAL, etc., is the largest of the seal family (phocicla), an inhabitant of the seas of the southern hemisphere. It is more than twice as large as an elephant, being sometimes 30 ft. in length, with a circumference of about 18 ft. at the thickest part, which is at the chest, immediately behind the fore-flippers or swimming paws; the body tapering towards the tail. The color is grayish, bluish gray, or more rarely blackish brown. The whole body is covered with very short hair, distributed in patches, giving it a spotted appearance somewhat like watered silk. The swimming paws are large and powerful; the fore-paws have five nails, the thumb-nail easily distinguishable from the others; the hind-paws have not even the rudiments of nails, but are beautifully con structed like the webbed foot of a bird, so as to expand, and increase the power of swimming. The true nail is very short, not more than 6 in. long. The head is larger in proportion than in many seals; the eyes are very large and prominent, with eyebrows of coarse hair; the whiskers are composed of very long and coarse spirally twisted hairs; there are no external ears; the canine teeth are remarkably large and massive, some what assuming the character of tusks. The nose of the males is very remarkable, being prolonged into a kind of proboscis of about a foot long, which, however, is not at all an organ of prehension, and, indeed, seems to serve no purpose whatever analogous to those which are served by the proboscis of the elephant, but in its ordinary state hangs flaccid on the face, becoming distended like the wattle of a turkey when the animal is roused to passion of any kind, and in particular presenting this distended appearance during the rutting season. At that season, also, the males have furious combats, the
victor winning for himself a whole herd of females. When the proboscis is dilated, the voice of the sea-elephant, which usually is like the lowing of an ox, is completely changed, and becomes a loud and extraordinary olirgling.
Sea-elephants are found on Kerguelen's Juan Fernandez, South Georgia, the States islands, South Shetland, the Falkland islands, etc. They migrate southwards at the beginning of summer, and northwards at the approach of winter, thus avoiding the extremes of heat and cold. A single individual sometimes yields 1400 or 1500 pounds or 70 gallons of excellent oil, on account of which these animals are pursued to an extent that seems to have much reduced the numbers of the species. They are either shot or killed by means of long lances. Cuttlefish and other cephalopods seem to be their principal food; but remains of marine plants have also been found in the stomach.
The skin of the sea-elephant is not at all valued on account of its fur, but its thick ness and strength make it very useful for harness-making and similar purposes. The flesh is black, oily, and indigestible; the tongue (salted) alone being esteemed a delicacy. The principal product, however, is the oil, which burns slowly, with a clear flame, and without smoke or disagreeable odor.