SEALS 



BY 



G. E. H. BARRETT-HAMILTON 



Through the courtesy of the authorities of the British Muséum of Natural History the 

 seals collected in the Antarctic by the Belgian Antarctic Expédition hâve been placed in my 

 hands for study. The collection is not large, but is the first in which the spécimens hâve been 

 properlv prepared and the sex ascertained. Ail the Phocidae inhabiting the Antarctic Seas (except 

 the Eléphant Seal) are represented, the spécimens having been obtained from the pack-ice east of 

 the Palmer Archipelago, where the Belgica was for so long confined. In addition there is an 

 immature spécimen of the South American sea lion, Otaria jubata Schr. from Argentina. 

 Amongst the greatest rarities are four skulls, a skeleton and two skins of WeddeH's seal, Leptony- 

 chotcs Weddelli (Lesson). Of this species the British Muséum possesses only four skulls, but two 

 are imperfect. Of even more interest are two skeletons (with skulls) of Ross' seal, Ommatophoca 

 Rossi Gray, of which the two type spécimens, both in the British Muséum, are believed to be the 

 only previously known spécimens. The Belgica spécimens throw much light upon the curious 

 variation in the dentition of this species. Further, the strange appearance, the gular pouch and 

 the voice of the animal are now for the first time made known to us by Monsieur Racovitza. 

 But perhaps the most important resuit of the Belgian Expédition from a mammalian point of 

 view is purely négative. The vovage of the Belgica has well-nigh proved the death-blow to the 

 hopes of those who believed that some new and strartling forms of mammalia might yet remain 

 undiscovered bv man in the Antarctic. 



Ommatophoca Rossi (Ross' Seal). 



Ommatophoca Rossi, J. E. Gray. The Zoology of the Voyage of the H. M. S. Erebus and 

 Terror, pp. 7-8, pi. vu & vin, 1844. 



Material received : — Xo. 700 (898), skull and skeleton (complète) — « Mâle adulte. 

 Banquise antarctique, Lat. 70° 01' S. et Long. 85° 20' O. Greenw., 3i Décembre 1898 ». 



No. 897 — skull and skeleton — « Femelle adulte. Banquise antarctique, par env. 70 Lat. 

 S. et 83° 3o' Long. O. Greenw., 17 Décembre 1898 ». 



N.B. No skins were received. No. 700 was received as a spécimen of Lobodon carcinophagus 

 (femelle adulte, banquise antarctique, 18 Septembre 1898), while a spécimen said to be of this 

 species and descibed as « no. 898 » has not been received. It is probable then that some mistake 

 has occured with référence to the labelling of thèse spécimens, but there can be no question as 

 to the identification of nos. 700 & 897 ('). 



(1) L'erreur provient certainement d'un changement d'étiquette, qui s'est produit au moment où les squelettes 

 ont été expédiés à Londres, après avoir été préparés au Musée de Bruxelles. — Le n° 700 désignait primitivement un 



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