580 PHOCA VITULINA HARBOR SEAL. 



A curious mistake made by Peale in his (suppressed) report 

 on the Mammals and Birds of the United States Exploring EX- 



FIG. 44. " Haliclicerus antarcticus", Peale=Pkoca vitulina, f natural size. 



pedition under Commodore Wilkes has played an important 

 role in the technical history of the species. A specimen, (skin 



FIG. 45. " Halichcerus antarcticus", Peale=Phoca vitulina, $ natural size. 



and skull,* still extant in the National Museum) was described 

 under the name Halichcerus antarcticus, with the remark, "This 



*This skull (No. ff|f, Nat. Mus!) is represented in Figs. 44-47, four- 

 sevenths natural size. 



