198 CRESTED SEAL. 



fication ; but such as have been obtained will be 

 supplied. 



For our plate of the Cristata we are indebted 

 to a Transatlantic Naturalist, who commends the 

 draughtsman for " the very faithful delineation he 

 has given." The plate elucidates an account of the 

 animal, read by Dr Dekay to the New York Ly- 

 ceum of Natural History. Though we have been 

 enabled to present our readers with an accurate re- 

 presentation of this Seal, yet we have failed in pro- 

 curing the accompanying account. It was pub- 

 lished in the " Annals" of the New York Lyceum, 

 which appeared monthly, and we have been able to 

 procure the 4th number only, containing the plate, 

 but not the 3d, wherein nearly the whole description 

 is contained. We have to add that, for the expressive 

 colouring of our plate, we are indebted to Mr Bos- 

 well, already honourably named on page 168. In 

 favouring us with a fine specimen of the skin, he in- 

 formed us that, next to the Rough Seal, this, which 

 is very uniform in its markings, is the most fre- 

 quently met with in the trade : it so entirely agrees 

 with the following descriptions, that we do not 

 hesitate to supply it as the skin of the Crested 

 Seal. 



The following is the description of this Seal, as 

 given by the distinguished Fabricius. Though he ap- 

 plies to it the name of Leonina, which is unfortunate 

 in many ways, yet he immediately adds, " Phoca ca- 

 pite antice cristato," with a crest on its forehead. He 

 says it attains tfce length of eight feet. The indivi- 



