30 ruociDiE. 



previous experience — that each species of Seal has a limited, indeed 

 I may say a very vreU-defined and very limited, geographical dis- 

 tribution. Though the species are very difficult to distingmsh by 

 their external characters, yet the skeleton, and especially the skull, 

 affords wcll-niarked and very definite characters. 



M. Lepcchin described a Phoca oceanica (Act. Petrop. 1777, 259. 

 t. 6 & 7), which has been considered the same as Pufjopliilus Groen- 

 landicus, as abundant on the ice around Nova Zembla. It woidd be 

 desirable to see the skull of a specimen from that locality, and thus 

 discover which species extends itself so tar north as those islands. 

 Phoca oceanica, in its young and old state of fur, resembles Pago- 

 pJiilus Groenlandicus ; but imfortunately we have only a very limited 

 knowledge of the external appearance of this new Seal {Halicyon 

 RicliarcU) from Vancouver's Island. 



The study of a large series of specimens of several species of 

 Seals shows that the form of the lower jaw, though hitherto little 

 attended to by zoologists, affords a very good character for the dis- 

 tinction of the species." — Gnuj, P. Z. S. 1864, 28. 



1. Halicyon Ricliardi, sp. nov. 

 Fur pale brown ; when young, darker. 



Ilalicyou Ricliardi, Gray, Pruc. Zool. Soc. 18G4, 28. 

 Phoca Groenlandica, Middoido/ff, Reise in den aiisscrden N. uud O. 

 Sihiriens, i. 222. 



Inhab. Fraser's Hiver and Vancouver's Island. 



Mr. Charles B. Wood, Surgeon of H.M.S. ' Hecate,' has very kindly 

 sent to the British Musciim, along with other interesting specimens 

 from the north-western part of North America, the skeleton of a 

 Seal from Fraser's Eiver, and the skuU of a Seal obtained on the 

 west coast of Vancouver's Island. 



The skull was procured from the natives, who were towing the 

 animal alongside of their canoe. They refused to part with the 

 entire animal, but were at length induced to sell the head. 



The examination of the skulls shows that the two Seals evidently 

 belong to the same species, the specimen from Fraser's Hiver being 

 adult, and the other not quite so old. Mr. Wood observes that " the 

 younger Seal was captured among the islands in Queen Charlotte's 

 Sound, at the north end of Vancouver ; has a fur of a dark brown, 

 almost black colour ; and is unlike that from Fraser's River, which 

 is lighter and less timid, being often seen seated on a log floating- 

 down with the current." — P. Z. S. 1804. 



This species, at the request of Mr. Wood, is dedicated to Captain 

 Richard, the Hydi'ogTapher to the Admiraltj^ and Captain of H.M.S. 

 ' Hecate' when these Seals were collected. I have the more pleasure 

 in doing this, as tlie Museum has received many verj' interesting 

 specimens collected dm-ing the voyage of the ' Hecate," sho-\ving the 

 interest which her C!ommander takes in the natural sciences, which 

 I have no doubt will receive additional encouragement in the new 



