228 Dr. J. E. Gray on the Skulls of Sea-Bears 
than with us. It would seem that the greenness in the oysters 
from the river Roach in Essex is, however, entirely confined to 
the beard. The fact that another river (the Crouch), running 
into the Roach, possesses oysters with white beards only renders 
the whole question all the more curious and puzzling. 
Meanwhile, until the actual properties of green oysters which 
are neither plucked from the keels of ships nor fished up near 
the copper-mines at Falmouth shall be discovered, we advise 
any of our readers who are at all inclined to be nervous on the 
subject to remember the valuable test afforded by ammonia, 
and add a small bottle of it to the usual pepper and vinegar ac- 
cessories, to be used in a case of doubt—though, if they have a 
mind to eat the oyster in case their suspicions should prove 
groundless, we would recommend the simple ordeal of the 
sewing-needle as the more suitable. 
XXXII.—WNotes on the Skulls of Sea-Bears and Sea-Lions (Ota- 
riade) in the British Museum. By Dr. J.B. Gray, F.R.S. &e. 
Tue “Prodrome of a Monograph of the Pinnipedes ” by Mr. 
Theodore Gill, wherein he named several genera of this group, 
and a paper by Dr. Peters on the Ofarie in the Berlin Museum, 
in the ‘ Monatsbericht’ for May of this year, have induced me 
to re-examine the skulls and skeletons in the British Museum ; 
and I herewith send you the result of my observations. I may 
observe that Dr. Peters considers all the Eared Seals one 
genus, but has divided them into seven subgenera, to each of 
which he gives a distinctive name. Dr. Peters’s paper is inter- 
esting as determining the specimens described by Pander and 
D’Alton, Johann Miller, and other German naturalists, as well 
as describing the more recently received specimens in the Berlin 
Museum, which certainly is one of the most important on the 
continent. 
Capt. Thomas Musgrave, in a work entitled “Cast away on the 
Aucklands,” 12mo, 1866, pp. 141 and following, gives a very in- 
teresting account of the habits and manners of the Lion Seal, 
showing how unlike they are in their habits to the Seals without 
ears (Phocidz). The female brings forth her young far inland, 
and has to teach them to take to the water which is to be their 
future home. 
Capt. Weddell gives nearly the same account of the habits of 
the Fur-Seal, as does also Mr. Hamilton (in Ann. & Mag. Nat. 
Hist. 1839, p. 87). 
Unfortunately, having no skull or other parts of the Lion 
Seal of the Auckland Islands (the must southern of the New- 
