FAUNA AMERICANA. Ill 



the snout nearly equal to one third that of the 

 liead ; whiskers pale, pointed, compressed ; eyes 

 small, with the iris brown ; the feet, ears, tongue^ 

 and tail, are also similar to those of the common 

 seal ; body nearly elliptical ; back very much arch- 

 ed ; belly flat; hair thick, nearly straight, soft to the 

 touch, long and fine ; colour nearly brown, varied 

 with whitish ; belly white, with some brown spots. 



Habit. The old males emit a very stinking 

 and nauseous odour, which taints their flesh and 

 fat ; the latter is very fluid ; feeding principally 

 on fish and Crustacea : copulating in June, bring- 

 ing forth in February. 



Inhabits the least frequented coasts of Green- 

 land. 



Species. 



5. Phoca barbata, Mull. 



Phoca barbata, Oth. Fabr.Erxleb. Bodd. Gmel. 

 P. major, Parsons, phil. trans. (Encycl. pi. 3. fig. 

 1.) Grand pho que, Buff*. 



Char. Essent. Six incisors above, four below j 

 thumb of the hand shorter than the fingers ; gene- 

 ral colour blackish. 



Dimensions. Total length about ten feet. 



Description. Dental system like that of the 

 common seal ; head elongated ; snout broad ; open- 

 ings of the ears larger than in other species; 

 fore feet long, having the middle toe longest, the 

 lateral smallest, (which is the case in no other 



