128 REPTIGRADA. 
Dimensions.—Adult males up to eight feet ; females to five 
and a half feet. 
Habitat.—Southern and South-eastern Australia; New Zea- 
land; Falkland Islands. 
References.—Quoy & Gaimard, Voy. Astrolabe, Zool. i. p. 89, 
Atlas, pls. xil., xiii andxv. ; McCoy, Prodr. Zool. Vict., decs, iv. 
pl. xxxi. and viii. pl. 1xx1. 
Note.—Referring to the islands in Bass’ Straits, where these 
animals are still plentiful, the following extracts taken from 
Prof. McCoy’s later article (dec. vii.) on the subject, will be read 
with interest : ‘“‘The Seals come to the Rocks about the Ist of 
October. The time of bringing forth the pups is between the 
10th of November and the 10th of December. They do not 
commence to breed until they are three years old. The male 
during the pupping season will ascend the rocks and remain for 
one or two months without food, and is extremely attentive to 
the female and pups. The cow generally brings forth one pup, 
sometimes two.” 
Group II.-REPTIGRADA. 
Harless Seals. 
Hind limbs incapable of being turned forwards, and not ser- 
viceable for terrestrial locomotion. Neck short. Anterior feet 
smaller than the posterior, the first digit little, if any, longer than 
the next succeeding ones, all armed with strong terminal claws. 
All the digits of the hind feet usually armed with strong claws, 
and without terminal cartilaginous flaps. 
Family I1.—PHOCID/:. 
Farless Seals. 
Fore limbs placed well forward. Hands and feet hairy. 
Scapula small. No external ear. Testes enclosed within the 
body. 
Jote.—The Earless Seals are monogamous, and there is no 
marked variation in size between the sexes. With the exception 
of the Sea Elephants (JMacrorhinus), which in their habits during 
the season of reproduction resemble the Otariide, by assembling 
in large numbers at well known resorts, these Seals do not so 
uniformly resort to particular breeding grounds on land, but, 
being confined almost entirely to the colder latitudes, usually 
bring forth their young on the ice, and leave the water only for 
short periods ; they are, however, as a general rule social in their 
habits and possessed of great affection for their young. A single 
