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GEEENLAND HAIR SEAL. 



Plioca fjycenlandica. 

 French : Phoque. German : Schwarzseitige Seehund. 



The Greenland Seal is also called the Saddle-back or 

 Harp Seal, from the very peculiar dark mark on the 

 back of the male animals. This mark has been called a 

 saddle or harp, but the former term is more correct. 

 The German name of Black-side is by no means 

 inappropriate, as the mark is irregular, and thicker at 

 the sides. The mark varies considerably, no two skins 

 being exactly alike. 



The general colour of the hair is light, and the saddle 

 is almost black. The female is of a light brown colour, 

 and yellow on the bell,y. The adult females, as well as 

 the young animals, have a few large black spots or 

 patches, which are especially noticeable on the belly. 

 It has no external ears. On each foot there are five 

 toes, which are furnished with five rather long claws : 

 the two outer toes are much longer than the three 

 interior ones. The feet are partially webbed, and 

 covered on the upper side with coarse hair. The hind 

 feet or pes are covered with yellowish hair like the rest 

 of the body, and are stretched out behind. The fore- 

 arms or manus are short, and placed well forward in the 

 body. The eyes are dark and expressive. The few 

 longer hairs in the whiskers are white, but all the others 

 are black. According to Clutterbuck, the Greenland 

 Seal is shy. 



The young Greenland Seals about four to six w^eeks 

 old are called Whitecoats, from the long white fur or 



