Zoology. I 



NATURAL HISTORY OF VICTORIA. 



[^Mammah. 



Plate 21. 



STENOEHYNCHUS LEPTONYX (de Blainv. sp.). 

 The Sea -Leopard Seax. 



[Genus STENORHYNCHUS (F. Cuv.). (Sub-kingd. Vertebrata. Class Mammalia. Order 

 Pinnipedia. Fam. Phocidse.) 



2-2 1-1 5-5 



Gen. Char. — Dental formula: — i.. 



= 32. Incisors conical ; 



2 - 2 ' ' 1 - 1 ' ' 5-5 

 outer upper ones largest and resembling the canines. Molars compressed with the crown, 

 divided into three long, narrow, conical lobes, the middle one largest ; the anterior molar in each 

 jaw with one root, the others double-rooted. Muzzle compressed, elongated, broad, simple, 

 hairy. Wliiskers small, wavy, tapering ; no external ears ; fore feet triangular ; wrist very 

 short ; hind feet of two nearly equal lobes ; three middle toes small ; claws of anterior limbs 

 small ; of posterior ones obsolete. Skull elongate, orbits moderate ; lower jaw strong, with an 

 acute angle behind ; fur close-set, short, of flat, tapering hairs ; without under fur.] 



Description. — Length of adult male about 10 feet. Color : above yellowish 

 light ashy-g-rey, with numerous, irregular, large spots, or small irregular patches, of 

 dull yellowish-white, and darker grey spots on the sides of the neck and body, with 

 occasional, smaller, irregular, black spots, and a few smaller, whitish spots on the 

 sides of the body ; upper part of hind limbs dark-grey, irregularly marbled with 

 lighter patches and spots, and dark-brown, large patches and streaks, darkest on 

 the margins. Anterior limb, or pectoral, with the anterior margin marked with 

 dark-brown patches ; the posterior portion dark-grey. Iris blackish-brown. Throat, 

 belly, and lower portion of sides dull yellowish-white with a few small blackish spots. 

 Lips black. 



Measueements op Two Specimens in Museum. 



Length from tip of snout to extremity of tail 

 „ from tip of snout to occiput ... 

 „ from tip of snout to front of pectoral 

 „ from tip of snout to eye 

 „ of pectoral ... 



Large. 



Reference. — Phoca leptonyx (de Blainville), Journ. Phys. xci., 288, 1820= 

 Stenorhynchus leptonyx (F. Cuvier), Diet. Sc. Nat. xxxix., 549, t. 44. 



This, the largest of the Seals frequenting our coast, is a most 

 voracious devourer of fish and occasionally of marine birds. It is 

 a good example of the group of genera termed " Earless Seals," 

 from their having no external ear-conch visible. Unhke the Eared 

 Seals, the hind limbs are directed backwards when at rest, nearly 



[7] 



