REPORT ON THE SEALS. 73 



Loth in the descriptions of different authors and in those of the same author at different 

 times. It is, therefore, a matter of much difficulty to construct a classification of the 

 Eared Seals which wdl prove satisfactory and conclusive, and it is doubtful whether 

 the specimens in our museums are yet sufficiently numerous to give definite data 

 of the variations in the skull engendered by age and sex, so that we may avoid 

 confounding; the sexual and asfe modifications with those that have a generic or 

 specific value. 



Dr. Gray in his latest writings ' made in all eighteen species of Eared Seals, which 

 he arranged in nine genera. Professor Peters in his latest monograph 2 recognised only 

 thirteen species, which he classed in three genera, as follows : — 



Otaria. 



sp. jubata. 



Eumetopias. 

 sp. stelleri. 



gillespii (misspelt gilliespii). 



cinerea. 



hookeri. 



Arctocephalus. 

 sp. pusillus. 

 falklandicus 

 brevipes. 

 elegans. 

 forsteri. 

 gazella. 

 philippii. 

 ursinus. 



Mr. Allen in his History of the North American Pinnipeds divides the Otariidas into 

 the subfamdies Trichophocacese and Ouliphocaceae. In the Trichophocacese, which are 

 distinguished by a harsh pelage without under-fur, he places tbe genera Otaria, sp. 

 jubata; Phocarctos, sp. hookeri; Eumetopias, sp. stelleri; and Zalophus, spp. califomianus 

 and lobatus. In the Ouliphocacese, which are distinguished by a soft pelage with abundant 

 under-fur, are the genera Callorhinus, sp. ursinus; and Arctocephalus, spp. austral is 

 (falklandicus), antarcticus (pusillus), and forsteri. This division, which is essentially 

 based on differences in the character of the pelage, corresponds to the older and more 

 popular nomenclature of Hair-Seals or Sea Lions, and Fur-Seals or Sea Bears. Dr. 

 Burmeister arranges 3 the Hair-Seals into the genera Otaria, sp. jubata, Eumetopias, spp. 

 stelleri and califomianus, and Phocarctos, spp. cinereus and hookeri ; and the Fur-Seals 

 into the genera Arctophoca, spp. falclandica (australis), cinerea, and forsteri, and 

 Arctocephalus, spp. ursinus, philippii, gazella, and pusillus. Professor Flower again ' 

 includes all the Eared Seals in the single genus Otaria, and he regards the different Sea 



1 Ann. and Mag. Nat. Hist., ser. 4, vol. xiii; Hand List of Seals, 1874. 



2 Monatsber. d. k. preuss. Akad. d. IViss. Berlin, August 9, 1877. 



3 Die Seehunde der argentinischen Kiisten, Buenos Aires, 1883. 



4 Catalogue of Vertebrated Animals in Museum of Royal College of Surgeons, pt. ii., 1884 ; and Article Mammalia, 

 Ency. Brit., 9th ed. 



(ZOOL. CHALL. EXP. — PART LXVIII. 1888.) Yyy 10 



