CHAPTER V. 
THE LEOPARD SEAL. 
Phoca Pealii,?* Gill. (Plate xxii, fig. 1.) 
MOVING ATTITUDE OF A LEOPARD SEAL, ON SHORE. 
This species of Phoca, known under 
the local name of Leopard Seal, inhabits 
according to our observation, the western 
coast of North America and the contiguous 
northern region as far as the most western 
islands of the Kurile chain. The adult 
animals we have met with in different lat- 
itudes, were, to all outward appearances, 
of the same form and of the same modi- 
fied colors. The places of observation were 
Plover Bay, coast of Eastern Siberia, 18G5 ; coast of Upper California, 1852 ; coast 
of Lower California, 1856; Strait of Juan de Fuca, 1809. The skeleton of the one 
examined at Plover Bay was forwarded to the Smithsonian Institution, through our 
friend W. H. Dall, who assumed charge of the scientific enterprise connected with 
the "Western Union Telegraph Expedition, after the death of the lamented Kenni- 
cott. The Leopard Seal in its proportions may be regarded as under- sized. It 
never exceeds six feet in length ; and its thick body, with its short limbs, gives 
the animal a bloated appearance, which seems ill adapted to much activity. Its 
head is short, broad, and rounded ; the eyes are large, full, and expressive, with five 
coarse, bristle -like hairs placed on a curve one inch above the edge of the upper 
lid, which constitute the eyebrows. It has thirty to thirty -five whiskers on each 
* W. H. Dall, who has had considerable op- but, whether such is the fact or not, we will 
portunity to observe upon these seals, is under state that, so far as our observation has extend- 
the impression that several sj)ecies of them exist ed, the habits of these seals, both north and 
upon this coast, in which opinion we concur; south, are the same. 
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