GREY SEAL. 175 



sphere, we shall introduce this Genus Halichoerus, 

 which has lately been established by Professor Nilsson. 

 His work being still unpublished, we have not learnt 

 his arrangement or division of the Genus ; and our 

 information has principally been obtained from Mr 

 Bell's recent work, which is more especially confined 

 to British species. Mr Ball of Dublin has supplied 

 the principal information regarding this Seal, and 

 we shall enrich our pages with several of his inter- 

 esting observations. " When I was quite a child," 

 remarks Mr Ball, " I took much pleasure in watch- 

 ing Seals, from the coasts of Cork and Waterford, 

 and early became impressed with an idea that I 

 could distinguish at least four species. Some years 

 ago, on stating my opinions to some Zoological 

 friends, I was induced to set about collecting speci- 

 mens and information from various parts of the 

 coast. For a considerable time I procured only one 

 species ; and, finding this labelled in our museums 

 as Phoca Vitulina, I took it for granted it was so, 

 until I procured a cranium of a very different spe- 

 cies from Sligo, which, upon examination, I found 

 to be the true Ph. Vitulina. I then sought to as- 

 certain to what species the former specimens be- 

 longed, and searched in vain. Failing to obtain in- 

 formation, I was induced to bring the matter before 

 the British Association; when Professor Nilsson 

 recognised the craniam I produced as those of the 

 Seal described by him as the Halichcerus Griseus. 

 " My observations on the habits of the animal do 

 not altogether accord with those of the learned Pro- 



