4 PROCEEDINGS OF THE CALIFORNIA 



Still greater progress has been made in the invertebrate classes, but most of 

 them being still in the hands of other naturalists I can only give the numbers 

 relating to the mollusca. In 1862 there were believed to be about 400. The 

 well-determined species now known are 598, (omitting varieties, etc.) to Vhich 

 will probably be added 20 or more still undeserlbed, and about 200 species and 

 varieties found west of the Rocky Mountains, between latitudes 32° and 49°, 

 but which have not yet been detected within our limits. (See " Geographical 

 Catalogue.") 



Class MAMMALIA— Order Pinnipedia. 



1 Phoca Peaiji Gill — Leopard Seal ? — Hab. Whole coast of California. 

 As I have found but one species of Phoca along the coast, well known here 



as the Leopard Seal, I suppose it to be the one named (without description) 

 by Gill in his '-Prodrome" in the Proc. Essex Ii^st. V. 1, April, 1866. 



It is quite distinct in dentition from the "Leopard Seal" of most books, a 

 species of Stenorhynchus, but seems to resemble that closely in colors. 



2 Halicyon Richard: Gray, (Gill) — Fur Seal ? — Hab. Farallone Islands and 

 north, British Columbia, Alaska. 



I have been quite unable to obtain specimens from the Farallones to deter- 

 mine what is the " Fur Seal " occasionally killed there, or if it be the same 

 hunted on the coast of Alaska. The nature of the hair would indicate a genus 

 distinct from Phoca. So far, none of this order have been found identical in the 

 two oceans except the walrus, Rosmarus obesm Illiger, (Gill) which lives near 

 the Arctic circle. 



3 Macrorhinus angustirostris. Gill — California Sea Elephant. This huge 

 beast formerly abounded at certain seasons on the islands along our southern 

 coast, but seems to have been exterminated, or driven to Lower California by 

 the reckless persecution of the sealers, who will probably entirely destroy the 

 species in a few years. It is said to grow twenty feet long and of immense- 

 bulk, like the Walrus. I could never obtain more than a single broken skull, 

 nor did I see the animal during a long residence southward. A full account of 

 this and the Whales is however being prepared by my friend Capt. C. M. 

 Scammon, of the Revenue Service. 



4 Arctocephalus ursinus F. Cuvier — Sea Bear. Hab. Coast of Washing- 

 ton Territory and north. I mention this as probably a visitor to the Farallone 

 Islands in winter. 



5 Elt.metopias Californianus Lesson, (Gill) — Northern Sea Lion. (= 

 Otaria Monteriensis Gray, and perhaps 0. Slelleri Miiller, according to Gill.) 



6 Zalophus Gillespiei Macbain, (Gill) — Southern Sea Lion. — Whether 

 there is more than one species of Sea Lion on our coast is still doubtful, 

 although naturalists who have had little more than skulls to study have made 

 four species and three genera from them ! I have been unable to identify those 

 from the Farallone and Santa Barbara Islands with either of the above to my 

 entire satisfaction. The dififerences in the animals of the two groups ar3 chiefly 

 in size, (depending on age ?) and the two sexes always differ so much that skulls 

 alone of various ages might easily mislead those who never saw them alive. It 



