143 GREAT SEAL. 



a cross on the chaufrin. The teeth have been al- 

 ready described. 



The evidence of this species, (or one regarded as 

 such,) being not uncommon on the Scottish shores, is 

 tolerably conclusive. In several notices we have 

 met, the animal is stated to have reached the length 

 of twelve feet. One is recorded by Pennant in these 

 words " A gentleman of my acquaintance shot one 

 twelve feet long on the coast of Sutherland, but 

 made no par ticular remarks upon it."* And Dr Hib- 

 bert writes " Mr Low has stated in his manuscript 

 tour, that a Seal, which was taken in Shetland, was 

 not less than twelve feet in length."f Mr Edmon- 

 ston states the usual dimensions to be from seven 

 to ten feet ; and observes, the male is the largest, 

 and is called Bull-fish. The head is larger in pro- 

 portion to the body than in the Common Seal ; the 

 eyes are placed deep in the orbits, but are large and 

 penetrating. " In general habits," he continues, 

 " this Seal differs much from the common one. 

 They associate in pairs, and the male appears to be 

 attached to a single female. They frequent the 

 more exposed situations, and shelter themselves in 

 deep and almost inaccessible caverns. The young 

 are brought forth in the months of September, Oc- 

 tober, and November, and, when but a few days 

 old, are as large as the Common Seals at the age of 

 several months. They keep by themselves, and 



Act. Zool. ii. 159. t Shetland Isles, 412. 



