CAPE OTARY* 251 



it was first the Seal of the Mediterranean and the 

 ancients, then a native of the East indies, and now, 

 we trust finally, has its habitat assigned at the Cape 

 of Good Hope. 



This species, according to Pagis, attains the 

 length of four feet, and two and a half in circum- 

 ference, although the common size is two and a half 

 or three feet long, with a foot and a half in circum- 

 ference. The head is round, and somewhat de- 

 pressed, with a very short snout, and its physiog- 

 nomy is agreeable. It has six incisors, the four 

 middle ones of the upper jaw are large and forked, 

 each having two lobes, the one before and the other 

 behind ; the outer incisor is sharp and pointed.* 

 The whiskers are long, simple, and black ; the ears 

 are straight, and one inch and a half long; the neck 

 is full, as is the chest ; the inner finger of the fore 

 flipper is the longest ; the nails are almost imper- 

 ceptible, hid under the hair, and so small as scarcely 

 to merit the appellation ; the hind flippers have three 

 very distinct nails belonging to the middle toes, 

 whilst those of the external ones are scarcely visi- 

 ble ; they have also a projecting and divided mem- 

 brane, and the under portion of the feet is naked 

 and hard. Its coat is soft and glossy, of a brown- 

 ish colour, tending to iron-grey ; the head is deeper 

 coloured ; the under part, more especially the breast, 

 is much lighter ; the feet are black. 



In their disposition these animals are very timid 



Daubeuton, Buff. xiii. 414. 



