130 COMMON SEAL 



identical ; and hence we conclude that this is the 

 common appearance of the Seal of these coasts. 



Along with our notice of these specimens, we 

 may associate a reference to a plate of foreign 

 workmanship, which most closely resembles them. 

 We allude to a very accurate and apparently faith- 

 ful representation, by the celebrated Albinus, of a 

 Seal taken on the Dutch coast, the markings of 

 which correspond so exactly with those already men- 

 tioned, that we do not hesitate to regard it as the 

 same species. Albinus' description is tolerably 

 minute as it regards the internal structure, and to 

 it, therefore, we refer the anatomical reader;* such 

 extracts as suit our purpose, of further description, 

 we shall here epitomise and introduce. 



" The Seal," says Albinus, " which was sent me 

 was taken in the neighbouring seas, and measured six 

 and a half feet from the mouth to the termination of 

 the posterior extremities. It had no external au- 

 ricles, and the foramina leading to the organ of 

 hearing were very small At the inner angle of the 

 eye was a third eye-lid, which could be easily drawn 

 over the whole eye, an apparatus which appears to be 

 frequently supplied to those animals in which the eye- 

 lids are used not only as a covering, but more especi- 

 ally as a defence from external danger. A few hairs 

 went to form something like eye-brows* The nostrils 

 were large, lunated, and easily opened. The upper 



* Accademicae Annotationes, lib. iii. 



