REPORT ON THE SEALS. 43 



as far back, a similar membranous prolongation exists. The most anterior part of the 

 palato-maxillary suture was in one specimen opposite the 4th pair of post-canines, and in 

 another opposite the last molar ; a pair of small ossicles was situated in the middle of 

 this suture. The palate bones formed a smaller proportion of the hard palate than the 

 superior maxilla. The premaxillse had well-marked naso-palatine canals and in one 

 specimen a pair of ossicles was situated behind the maxillo-premaxillary suture. The 

 posterior edge of the vomer resembled that of Arctocephalus gazella, and the articulation 

 of the prae- and post-sphenoids was visible. 



In the female and young male the tympanic bullae were swollen and marked by an 

 anterior and a posterior low ridge. In the adult males these ridges were stronger and 

 the posterior one projected downwards as a definite tubercle. Alisphenoid canals and 

 mastoid processes were present, The occipital condyles generally resembled those of 

 Arctocephalus gazella. The supra-occipital foramen was not visible. The carotid canal 

 opened independently of the jugular foramen. The basi-occipital was not perforated 

 mesially, and the paroccipitals were only distinct in the male skulls. 



The lower jaw of Arctocephalus australis in its general form resembled that of 

 Arctocephalus gazella, but it was, especially in the adult males, more massive, and the 

 hollowing out of the ramus in the region of the masseter muscle was much deeper. 



The hyoid consisted of a transversely elongated basi-hyal, which was articulated at 

 each extremity, both with a thyro-hyal and a kerato-hyal. The kerato-hyal though 

 not so long was thicker than the thyro-hyal. Both the epi-hyal and stylo-hyal were 

 ossified and jointed together, so that nine distinct bones formed the hyoid apparatus. 



I do not consider it necessary to give a separate description of the spine and the 

 other bones of the trunk and of the limbs of the Kerouelen Island and South American 

 Fur-Seals, as they are in most respects so much alike that one description will, in a 

 great measure, suffice for both, and such differences as occur can easily be included in it. 

 As one of the Messier Channel specimens was a fully ossified male, the leading descrip- 

 tion has been written from Arctocephalus australis. 



Spine. — The vertebral formula was C 7, D 15, L 5, S 3, Cd 11 =41. 



The cervicals had, as a rule, a foramen at the root of each transverse process. The 

 7th cervical was, however, peculiar, for in the adult male from the Messier Channel each 

 of its transverse processes was perforated by a small foramen, but in the other three 

 skeletons from the same place there was no foramen. In both skeletons of Arctocephalus 

 gazella the right transverse process was perforated but not the left. In the atlas the 

 transverse process was broad, plate-like and elongated downwards and outwards ; in the 

 axis it was much shorter and styloid ; in the 3rd cervical the inferior lamella was 

 flattened out into a plate which increased in magnitude in the other cervical vertebrae 

 down to the 6th ; in the 7th this lamella was absent except in those specimens in 

 which the transverse process was perforated, when it was a thin, horizontal plate of 



