THE OCEAN SEAL. 



Ph. Oceanica LEPECHIK. 



PLATE VII.* 



Ph. Oceanica, Lepechin (Act. Petrop. 1777, t. i.) Desm. No. 

 373, De Blainville, Calocephalus Oceanicus, Less. 



NOTWITHSTANDING the very high authorities now 

 named, it is with much hesitation that we in- 

 troduce the Ocean Seal as a distinct species. Ba- 

 ron Cuvier identifies it with the one immedi- 

 ately preceding, viz. the Greenland ; but De 

 Blainville, Desmarest, and Lesson, distinguish the 

 two animals. Lepechin, the highest authority on 

 the point we possess, has a thorough conviction 

 that they differ ; and he grounds this opinion not 

 upon any variation in the dental apparatus, but 

 chiefly upon the different markings of the young. 

 He, at the same time, maintains that the one which 

 Crantz describes as the Greenland Seal is identical 

 with his. It is chiefly then from deference to these 

 distinguished Zoologists that we give the Oceanica 

 * distinct place in our enumeration ; and we pay 



