ARCTOCEPHALUS. 127 
Dimensions.—Adult males up to ten feet; females much 
smaller. 
Habitat.—South and West Australia ; Japan. 
References.—Gould, Mamm. Austr. iii. pl. xlix.; Quoy & 
Gaimard, Voy. Astrolabe, Zool. i. p. 95, Atlas, 1833, pls. xiv., xv. 
Note.—Gilbert, writing to Gould, says, speaking of some thirty 
years ago: “This animal is extremely numerous on all the low 
islands of the Houtmann’s Abrolhos, particularly those having 
sandy beaches ; but it does not confine itself to such places, being 
often found on the ridges of coral and madrepores, over which we 
found it very painful walking, but over which the seals often 
outran us. On many of the islands they have been so seldom 
(perhaps, indeed, never before) disturbed, that I frequently came 
upon several females and their young in a group under the shade 
of the mangroves; and so little were they alarmed, that they 
allowed me to approach almost within the reach of my gun, when 
the young would play about the old ones, and bark and growl at 
us in the most amusing manner ; and it was only when westruck 
at them with clubs that they shewed any disposition to attack us 
or defend their young. The males, however, would generally 
attack the men when attempting to escape ; but, generally speak- 
ing, the animal may be considered harmless, for even after being 
disturbed, they seldom attempt to do more than take to the water 
as quickly as possible.” 
In the Prodromus of the Paleontology of Victoria (dec. v. 
pls. xli., xlii.) Prof. McCoy figures, under the name of Areto- 
cephalus williamsi, a fossil Seal from the Pliocene of Victoria 
obtained at Queenscliff and Cape Otway. Referring to this 
Allen remarks: ‘“ The skull figured, which he (2.e. McCoy) refers 
to as an ‘old male skull’ bears a close resemblance to the skull 
of a female of Zalophus lobatus, from which, judging from his 
description and figures, it does not very materially differ. 
Genus II.—ARCTOCEPHALUS, F. Cuvier (1824). 
Molars 2, triangular, pointed, and compressed, the last entirely 
behind the hinder edge of the zygomatic process of the maxillary. 
Muzzle slender, elongated, and pointed. 
1. ARCTOCEPHALUS FORSTERI, Lesson, sp. (1828). 
Australian Sea Bear. 
In the adult male the entire upper surfaces are dark brown, 
the belly, limbs, tail and lips chestnut ; the female is of a gener- 
ally lighter coloration, The young are blackish-brown above, 
with the muzzle and throat yellowish, and the belly rust color. 
