The Minds and Manners of Wild Animals: A Book of Personal Observations

The Sea-Lion's Repertoire. Long ago trainers recognized in the California sea-lion (Zalophus) a good subject for the ring and stage. Its long, supple neck, its lithe body and brilliant nervous energy seemed good for difficult acts. The sea-lion takes very kindly to training, and really delights in its performances. In fact, it enters into its performance with a keen vigor and zest that is pleasing to behold. Let this veracious record of a performance of Treat's five sea-lions and two harbor seals, that I witnessed October 15, 1910, tell the whole story, in order that the reader may judge for himself: 1. Each sea-lion balanced upright on its nose a wooden staff 3 feet long, with a round knob on its upper end. 2. Each sea-lion caught in its mouth a three-foot stick with a ball on each end, tossed it up, whirled it in the air, and caught it again. This was repeated, without a miss. 3. Each sea-lion balanced on the tip of its nose, first a ball like a baseball, then a large ball two feet in diameter. 4. Each sea-lion climbed a double ladder of eight steps, and went down on the other side, balancing a large ball on the end of its nose, without a miss. 5. The trainer handed a ball to the sea-lion nearest him, who balanced it on his nose, walked with it to his box and climbed up. 6. Then another sea-lion walked over to him, and waited expectantly until sea-lion No. 1 tossed the ball to No. 2, who caught it on his nose, walked over to his box, climbed up, and presently tossed it to No. 3.