137 



THE CRESTED SEAL. 



Ph. Cristata GMELIK. 



PLATE XIV. 



Ph. Cristata, Gmel Desm. 371. Stem. Cristatus, F. Cuv, Leo- 

 nina, Fab. Neitersoak, Crantz. Clapmutz of Egede, and the 

 Northern Seal-fishers. The Crested Seal of Anson and Ellis.* 



IT is not without considerable hesitation we place 

 the Crested Seal in the same genus with the Mitra- 

 ta. M. F. Cuvier and Lesson associate it with the 

 next genus, (Macrorhinus ;) but solely because they 

 identify it with the Elephant Seal, an animal from 

 which it greatly differs. By others, again, it has 

 been identified with the Mitrata ; whilst much op- 

 posing evidence recently procured shows the inac- 

 curacy of this conclusion. The details within our 

 reach, especially regarding the dental apparatus, are 

 still too few to enable us to come to a definite classi- 



* The name Hooded Seal, given by Pennant and Shaw, as 

 well as the popular French name a Capuchon, we regard as pe- 

 culiarly unfortunate, as confounding this species with the next. 



