42 THE ANIMALS OF NEW ZEALAND 



noiseless flight whicli they are enabk^d to pursue by means of 

 their velvety wings. The presence of full daylight did not effect 

 them in the slightest degree, and they made no mistake in 

 •estimating their distance from an object. They circled round the 

 room, flying in and out of the corners, skimming .just below the 

 ceiling, and hovering over the furniture, but never coming in 

 contact with anything. Nor did they dash themselves against 

 the window-panes, as birds would have done in similar 

 circumstances, but they treated the glass in precisely the same 

 manner as the walls of the room. After satisfying themselves 

 that there was no mode of escape from the room, they began to 

 settle down on the tops of the architraves of the doors and 

 windows, hanging head-downwards, by the claws of their hind- 

 wings. Ultimately, they collected in clusters of four or five, 

 cuddling quite close to one another, and they were then quite 

 easily transferred to their cage. 



Order Carnivora. 

 Flesh-eating mammals, with sharp teeth. 



Section Pinnipedia. 

 Legs modified into flippers. 



Key 1o tlie Families. 



Without external ears. Phocida;. 



With external ears. Otariidse. 



Fa mill) Oto^ riidae . 

 Ears small. Hind limbs capable of being turned forwards. 

 Tore flippers with rudimentary claws. Incisors, six above and 

 four below. 



Gonis Arctoccplialus. 

 Muzzle rather tapering in front, ears rather long. Palate of 

 the skull rather narrower behind than in front ; short, scarcely 

 reaching to the middle of the zygomatic arch. Southern Seas. 



Key to the Species. 



No nuder-fur mixed with the hair. A. hookeri. 



Under-fur as well as hair. A. forsteri. 



