e affected the weather conditions of
the island to the extent of shrouding us in fog from the 6th to the 10th
inclusive, and we did not catch a glimpse of the sun during that period.
The average daily temperature-range during this time was only 2.3
degrees. Such conditions have a rather depressing effect on the spirits,
but the cheering news we received on the 7th made some amends for the
lack of sunshine.

The sun appeared at last on the 11th and shone strongly, so Blake and
I went up to Wireless Hill to take some "shots" with the theodolite. I
noticed four of our sheep on the front of the hill, and, as there should
have been nine, Sandell and I, after finishing with Blake, walked out
to North Head to see if the others were all right. We found them on the
north-east side of the hill and drove them up to the rest of the flock.

From the hill-top we could see Hamilton engaged in skinning a large
sea leopard on the coast, so we climbed down to render any necessary
assistance. It was a beautifully marked animal, about eleven feet long,
and made a fine specimen.

Sea leopards frequent Macquarie Island in great numbers from the late
winter to the early summer, and may be seen lying about, sleeping close
to the water and apparently always very tired. They do not give birth to
the young there, and from observations I concluded that they were born
at sea. We had taken female specimens on several occasions, apparently
within a few hours of parturition, and as none had been seen with newly
born young, and no islands lay within several hundred miles, it was
presumed that the birth took place in the water. Until the young one is
weaned, its habitat is evidently in the water as we never saw an adult
suckling its offspring.

Sea leopards--long, lithe creatures with a reptilian cast of head--are
remarkably quick in the water. If one is disturbed on shore it opens its
mouth very wide, revealing a wicked-looking row of teeth in each jaw;
the canine teeth or tusks being very long and slightly curved.

Unlike sea elephants and seals they are solitary animals, and should
several of them be found on a small gravelly patch of beach they are
seen to be as far as possible from one another. We have never seen them
attempt to fight on the shore, but the gaping wounds and scars with
which they are frequently covered indicate that they treat each other
very severely in the water. They live on penguins, gulls, shags and
fish.

I saw several