436 LATAX. 



Pusa orientalis Oken, Lehrb. Naturg., Theil in, 2te Abth., 1816, 



p. 986. 

 LiUra stelleri Less., Man. Mamm., 1827, p. 156. 

 Enydris {sic) gracilis Fisch., Syn. Mamm., 1829, p. 229. 

 Latax hurts Elliot, Syn. N. Am. Mamm., F. C. M. Pub., 11, 1901, 



p. 354, pi. XXXVIII. Zool. Ser. Id. Mamm. Middle Amer. & 



W. Indies, F. C. M. Pub., iv, Pt. 11, 1904, p. 537, pi. lii. Zool, 



Ser. 

 Northern Sea Otter. 



Type locality. "America Septentrionali." Coasts of Bering Sea, 

 Geogr. Distr. Coasts of Bering Sea and of the north Pacific Ocean, 

 south on American coast possibly to California. 



a. Latax liitris nereis Merriam. 



Latax lutris nereis Merr., Proc. Biol. Soc. Wash., xvii, 1904, p. 159, 

 San Miguel Island Sea Otter. 



Type locality. San Miguel Island, Santa Barbara Islands, Santa 

 Barbara County, California. 



Geogr. Distr. Santa Barbara Islands; also probably south to the 

 coast of Lower California, and it may be the species found rarely 

 among the Kelp beds of San Tomas and San Quentin Bays. 



Cranial Characters. Skull alone known. This is "broad and 

 high, with long and high sagittal crest and swollen braincase. Com- 

 pared with lutris the following differences appear: Skull as a whole 

 less flattened, braincase more swollen and rounded, the sides (viewed 

 from above) more convex and swollen, especially behind the constric- 

 tion ; anterior part of zygomata more broadly and squarely expanded ; 

 basioccipital forming an angle with basisphenoid ; coronoid process 

 sloping strongly backward; sagittal crest much higher and more 

 decurved posteriorly ; inner cusp of large upper premolar {pm. 5) elon- 

 gated along anterior part of inner lobe (instead of conical) and show- 

 ing a tendency to subdivide into two parts ; first lower molar broader 

 and more broadly truncate posteriorly." 



Measurements. "The specimen in the flesh measures six feet in 

 length." (Merr. 1. c.) 



