80 BULLETIN OF THE 



Steller's figures were the only original ones of this species that had 

 been published up to a recent date, which, with modifications, have 

 been frequently copied. Those given by Hamilton (Plate XXI of 

 his work above cited) are among the best, and are quite accurate in 

 general form, hut erroneous in details, especially in respect to the feet. 

 Choris, in 1822, gave a plate purporting to represent a group of 

 sea bears, as they appear when assembled on the rocks at their breed- 

 ing-places. Though douhtless giving a good idea of their attitudes at 

 such times, as the other plate in his chapter on the Aleutian Islands, 

 purporting to represent the sea lions, does of those animals ; but they 

 are not sufficiently detailed to be of further value. Mr. Dall, in his 

 book on "Alaska and its Resources" (previously cited), has published 

 a figure from nature of this species, which, while doubtless generally 

 correct, gives a somewhat erroneous impression in regard to the charac- 

 ter of the hind feet, since the upper surface is represented as being 

 strongly ridged and furrowed, the ridges extending to the ends of the 

 flaps, which are really flat.* 



The first and only specimen of the skull hitherto figured is that of 

 a male, represented in profile, published by Dr. Gray in the Proceed- 

 ings of the Zoological Society for 1859 (Plate LXVIII). 



As already remarked, the sea bears of the North were for a long 

 time confounded with the southern sea bears, they collectively bearing 

 the name of either Phoca or Olaria vrsina. This name was originally, 

 however, applied by Schreber and Linne to the Ursus marinus of 

 Steller, to which animal the name nrsina is hence exclusively applicable. 



Forster and Cook, and other voyagers, subsequently described the 

 southern sea bears, so far as respects their general habits, size, and 

 abundance. Most of these writers seem to have regarded these ani- 

 mals as the same as the northern sea bear, and, as already stated, 



* It is remarkable how few correct figures have been published of the eared seals, 

 even those in scientific works being palpably erroneous, and contradictory of the char- 

 acters given in the descriptions accompanying them. In nearly all cases the feet are- 

 represented as covered with hair, as in the common seals, and similarly provided with 

 well-developed nails on both the fore and hind limbs. In this respect even the figures 

 given by Quoy and Gaimard, in the Zoology of the Voyage de VAstrolabe, are faulty, 

 not corresponding at all in this regard with the accompanying descriptions of the ani- 

 mals. The figures of the Otnria jitbnta, published in the Proceedings of the London 

 ;ical Society (1666, p. 80, woodcut; 1869, PI. VII) seem to be those most nearly 

 approaching accuracy. 



