322 Miscellaneous. 



On the Grey Seal (Haliclioerus ^ryphus). 

 By Dr. J. E. Geat, F.R.S. &c. 



Many years ago I was informed that the large seals lived on the 

 west coast of South "Wales. I observed them with an opera-glass 

 in St. Bride's Bay, and I was convinced they were the grey seal. I 

 offered a reward for the animal alive or dead, or for its skin and 

 skull, but was never able to obtain one. Several have been shot, but 

 they either escape or sink. This winter I received a note from 

 Mr. Stokes, of Cuffern in Pembrokeshire, informing me that Thomas 

 at St. David's had two young seals. I immediately sent the note 

 to the Secretary of the Zoological Society, stating that the usual 

 St.-David's seal was the grey seal, which I believe has never been 

 in the Gardens, and the Society had better send a person to see the 

 seals and procure them. Neither Mr. Stokes nor I ever received 

 any account of the result ; but I am told there are two grey seals 

 from St. David's in the Gardens, which are doubtless those I re- 

 ferred to. 



The grey seal was first observed in Ireland by Mr. Ball, who 

 made several figures of it. Now we have specimens from the 

 west coast of Wales ; and I believe that it is found in various parts 

 of the Irish Sea and St. George's Channel. I have heard of speci- 

 mens being seen in the Isle of Man ; and I have reason to believe, 

 from parts of skin which I have seen, they occur as far south as 

 the Land's End and Scilly Islands. 



I have not been able to procure an animal, or any part of one, 

 from the east coast of Scotland. We have one from the Fern 

 Islands in the British Museum. It is found in the North Sea, and 

 also in the Baltic. 



On the Acclimatization and Anatomy of Perichseta difiringens, Baird. 

 By M. L. Vaillant. 



Dr. Baird was the first, in 1869, to indicate this worm as living 

 in a hothouse in North Wales. A little later I presented several 

 specimens of it to the Philomathic Society*, when the peculiarities 

 connected with the locomotion of this annelid were confirmed. The 

 individuals collected by M. Guinard in the neighbourhood of Mont- 

 pellier were obtained from M. Page's hothouses, where they had 

 been introduced in vessels containing Orchidese sent by M. Mazcl 

 from Monsauve (near Anduse), with whom this curious species 

 has also become acclimatized. It is remarkable that both in England 

 and in Prance it is with Orchidese that the transportation appears 

 to have been efi'ected. Being persuaded that this circumstance must 

 be very general, I have endeavoured to extend these observations ; 

 and last year I requested M. L. Kousseau to ascertain whether this 

 curious animal did not also occur at the Museum. Several horti- 

 culturists have also kindly lent me their aid ; and almost every- 

 where my previsions have been realized : and we may now assert that 



* Bull. Soc. Philom. torn. vii. p. 25 (1870). 



