THE HARBOR SEAL. 55 



23. THE HARBOR SEAL. 



GENERAL HISTORY AND SYNONYMY. The common Seal, Phuca (/'/<<) rilulhx/ Linne. is 

 mentioned in the earliest works on natural history, having been described and rudely figured by 

 various writers as early as the middle of the sixteenth century as well as during the se\ enteenth 

 century. Even down to the time of Linne it was the only species recogni/ed; or, more correct l.\. 

 all the species known were usually confounded as one species, supposed to he the same as the 

 common Seal of the European coasts; Consequently almost down to the beginning of the preseni 

 century the '-common Seal" was generally supposed to inhabit nearly all the seas of the globe. 

 Bufibn, Pennant, Schreber, and others referring to it as an inhabitant of the Southern Hemisphere. 

 Linne distinguished only a single species, even in the later editions of his --SN sterna Natune." As 

 is well known, the smaller species of Seal are with difficulty distinguishable by external characters, 

 particularly daring their younger stages. Few, however, are so variable in color as the present. 

 and none has so wide a geographical range. 



GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION. The Harbor Seal appears to have formerly been mndi more 

 numerous on portions of our eastern coast than it is at present. 1 Dr. DeKay, writing in 1842, 

 states that the "common Seal, or Sea Dog," is "now comparatively rare in our [New York] 

 waters," though "formerly very abundant." He adds, "A certain reef of rocks in the harbor of 

 New York is called /I'O/X'H'.V Reef, from the numerous seals which were accustomed to resort there ; 

 robin or robyn being the name in Dutch for Seal. At some seasons, even at the present day, they 

 are very numerous, particularly about the Execution Rocks in the Sound; but their visits appear 

 to be very capricious." lie further alludes to their capture nearly every year in the Passaic River, 

 in New Jersey, and states that a Seal was taken in a seine in the Chesapeake Bay, near Klko, 

 .Maryland, in August, 1824, supposed by Dr. Mitchill, who saw it, to be of this species. 2 Although 

 still occasionally appearing on the coast of the Atlantic States as far southward as North Carolina, 3 

 it is of probably only accidental occurrence south of New Jersey, and rare south of Massachusetts. 



In respect to its occurrence on the New Jersey coast, Dr. C. C. Abbott, the well known 

 naturalist of Trenton, N. J., kindly writes me, in answer to my inquiries on this point, as follows: 

 "Ingoing over my note-books, I find I have there recorded the occurrence of Seals (I'hocn 

 ritiilina] at Trenton, N. J., as follows: December, 1861 ; January, 1804; December, I860; February. 

 1870; and December, 1877. In these five instances a single specimen was killed on the ledge of 

 rocks crossing the river here and forming the rapids. In December, 18C1, three were seen, and 

 two in February, 1870. A week later one was captured down the river near Bristol, Bucks County, 

 Pennsylvania. My impression is that in severe winters they are really much more abundant in 

 the Delaware River than is supposed. Considering how small a chance there is of their being seen 

 when the river is choked with ice, I am disposed to believe that an occasional pair or more come 

 up the river, even as high as Trenton, the head of tide-water, and one hundred and thirty-eight 

 miles from the ocean. 



'The '-Semi-Weekly Advertiser," Boston, January 10, 1872, had the following: 



"The keeper of the Bird Island light-house at Marion reports that one day last week lie saw over :!nil Seals on tlie 

 iee at one time. He shot one and obtained from it two gallons of oil. In eight years that he has kept (lie light he 

 never saw more than three at a time until now." 



- DK.KAY, JAMES E. : New York Zoology, or tho Fauna of \e\v York, part i, 1^42, pp. ~)4, "."'. 



3 A recent record of its capture in North Carolina is the following, rlie reference, 1 think, unquestionably relating 

 to the present species: 



"SOUTHERN RVXGE OF THE SEAL. The Wilmington, N. C., 'Star' of February 2*. mentions the capture. in New 

 Hiver, Onslow County, of a large female Spotted Seal, measuring about seven feet in length, and weighing -'"" 

 pounds. This is an interesting note. The species must probably have been 111. common Harbor Seal (I'lmi'ii ritnliaa). 

 The same newspaper says one was reported near Beaufort some time ago." [\V. K. 1). Scorr.] " ( 'niiutr\ ." vol. i, \ 

 ai, p. 29-2, March 111, 1-78. 



