128 REPTIGRADA. 



Dimensions. Adult males up to eight feet ; females to five 

 and a half feet. 



Habitat. Southern and South-eastern Australia ; New Zea- 

 land ; Falkland Islands. 



References. Quoy & G-aimard, Voy. Astrolabe, Zool. i. p. 89, 

 Atlas, pis. xii., xiii and xv. ; McCoy, Proclr. Zool, Viet., decs. iv. 

 pi. xxxi. and viii. pi. Ixxi. 



Note. Referring to the islands in Bass' Straits, where these 

 animals are still plentiful, the following extracts taken from 

 Prof. McCoy's later article (dec. viii.) on the subject, will be read 

 with interest : " The Seals come to the Rocks about the 1st of 

 October. The time of bringing forth the pups is between the 

 10th of November and the 10th of December. They do not 

 commence to breed until they are three years old. The male 

 during the pupping season will ascend the rocks and remain for 

 one or two months without food, and is extremely attentive to 

 the female and pups. The cow generally brings forth one pup, 

 sometimes two." 



Group II. REPTIGRADA. 



Earless Seals. 



Hind limbs incapable of being turned forwards, and not ser- 

 viceable for terrestrial locomotion. Neck short. Anterior feet 

 smaller than the posterior, the first digit little, if any, longer than 

 the next succeeding ones, all armed with strong terminal claws. 

 All the digits of the hind feet usually armed with strong claws, 

 and without terminal cartilaginous flaps. 



Family II. PHOCID^E. 



Earless Seals. 



Fore limbs placed well forward. Hands and feet hairy. 

 Scapula small. No external ear. Testes enclosed within the 

 body. 



Note. The Earless Seals are monogamous, and there is no 

 marked variation in size between the sexes. With the exception 

 of the Sea Elephants (Macrorhinus), which in their habits during 

 the season of reproduction resemble the Otariidce, by assembling 

 in large numbers at well known resorts, these Seals do not so 

 uniformly resort to particular breeding grounds on land, but, 

 being confined almost entirely to the colder latitudes, usually 

 bring forth their young on the ice, and leave the water only for 

 short periods ; they are, however, as a general rule social in their 

 habits and possessed of great affection for their young. A single 



