MUSEUM OF COMPARATIVE ZOOLOGY. 15 



skin and partial skeleton of a young male, skins of two very young 

 males,* skins of two young females, together with a partial skeleton 

 of one of them, and five aged male skulls. The skins were pre- 

 served in salt, but the pelage of none of them was in perfect condition. 

 The color of these skins is described in detail, and a few measure- 

 ments are given of both the skins and skulls. The skulls are described 

 only in general terms. The skull of a half-grown male is figured, as 

 is also another skull of an adult female. Three figures of the animal 

 (young male, adult female and young), showing its peculiar attitudes, 

 also accompany the report. While the paper conveys highly important 

 information in respect to these specimens, it is to be hoped that a far 

 more detailed account of them will yet be given. Dr. Marie's paper 

 also embraces valuable observations concerning the habits of these 

 species, derived from M. Lecomte, who resided several months on the 

 islands among them. 



Dr. Murie remarks that he cannot agree with Dr. Gray, " that Dr. 

 Peters's figured skull of Otaria Philippii is most nearly allied to 0. 

 Stelleri from California, inasmuch," he continues, "as I consider it noth- 

 ing less than 0. Hookeri " ; both of these gentlemen evidently overlooked 

 the fact that Dr. Peters states expressly that the 0. Philippii has a 

 thick under-fur ("die dichte Unterwolle ist rostroth "), whereas both 

 the 0. Stelleri and the 0. Hookeri are true hair seals. On the other 

 hand, Dr. Murie says he unhesitatingly supports Dr. Gray in his criti- 

 cism of Dr. Peters as regards the species of sea lions termed respec- 

 tively 0. Byronia, ' 0. leonina, 0. Godeffroyi, and 0. Ulloce, as," he 

 adds, " I am perfectly convinced they are but differently aged specimens 

 of Forster's jubata." Dr. Murie further observes, and it seems to me 

 justly, that the Arctocephalus nivosus Gray is " only a variety, seasonal, 

 sexual, or of a different age" of a previously known species. 



In October, 18G9, Dr. Gray published some " Additional Notes on 

 Sea Bears (Otariadce)" f based mainly on an examination of three 

 skulls from Desolation Island, and one from the Cape of Good Hope, 

 which had recently been sent him by Professor Turner of Edinburgh. 



comparative size of the sexes, see Captain C. C. Abbott's notes (Proc. Zool. Soc, 1868, 

 p. 190) and Dr. Maack's remarks beyond. Also Burmeister's in the Monatsb. Akad. z. 

 Berlin, 1868, p. 181; and D'Orbigny's in his Voyage dans l'Amdrique Meridionale, 

 Tome II, p. 140, 1839. 



* About three months old, according to Sclater (Proc. Zool. Soc, 1868, p. 628). 



t Ann. and Mag. Nat. Hist., 4th Series, Vol. IV, pp. 264-270. 



