Mr Scot-Skirving on the Natter al History of Islay. 35 



II. Note of Large Skull of Halichgems gryphus. By John 

 Alexander Smith, M.D., F.E.S.E., etc. (Skull exhibited.) 



(Read 20tli November 1878.) 



A very large seal, apparently recently dead, was cast 

 ashore on the west coast of North Uist, in October 1878. It 

 was much injured about the body, as if from fighting with 

 other seals, and probably also from being dashed against the 

 rocky shore. Captain Orde preserved the skull which I now 

 exhibit. It is nearly quite perfect, and belongs to a very 

 large specimen, probably an old male, of the grey seal {Phoca 

 gryphus, Fab., or Halichcerus gryphus, Mlsson). It is the 

 haaf-fish of Orkney, and the tapvaist of the Hebrides, where 

 it seems to be not uncommon. It is rare on our east coasts. 

 The skull measures 1 foot in length along its base from the 

 occipital condyles to the front of the projecting edge of the 

 intermaxillary bone, and 7| inches across the malar bones or 

 the zygomatic arches. The teeth of this seal are very strong ; 

 large in the lower parts fixed in the alveolar sockets, and 

 rather small and conical above; differing in this respect from 

 the lobed or serrated teeth of the genus Phoca, etc. The seals 

 require to have firm, strong teeth, as, besides feeding on fish, 

 they eat up crabs and lobsters, etc. ; and Mr Keddie tells me 

 he has often found remains of the large strong feet or claws 

 of these crustaceans in their stomachs. 



III. Notes on the Natural History of Islay. By Egbert 

 Scot-Skirving, Esq. 



(Read 18th December 1878.) 



The following cursory notes on some of the features pre- 

 sented by the natural history of Islay refer almost exclusively 

 to its ornithology during the summer and autumn of the 

 present year. 



I propose to note the appearance of some of our migrants, 

 somewhat after the fashion of our late friend Mr M'Nab, of 

 the Botanical Society, who used to chronicle the foliation and 



