FUR-SEAL OF COMMERCE. 273 



from the valuable work of Mr Weddell,* who, along 

 with several other good offices performed for this 

 department of science, conveyed to this country, 

 and deposited in the hands of the eminent Keeper 

 of the Museum of the University of Edinburgh, 

 two specimens of the stuffed skins of this animal. 

 They are now in the Museum in excellent order, 

 and we have used them to supply our Plate. In 

 this state they are, of course, insufficient satisfac- 

 torily to establish all the scientific characters, but so 

 far as they serve, we will now present a faithful and 

 detailed description. The specimens are very 

 nearly alike in every respect, and appear to have 

 been carefully and accurately prepared. 



Judging from these specimens, this Seal, on the 

 whole, is long and slender,! having much the shape 

 of a double cone, largest at the middle, and tapering 

 at the extremities. The head is broad, and rather 

 flat ; the external ear is black, narrow, pointed, and 

 projecting backwards. The fore-paws are precisely 

 in the middle of the body, their shape is pyramidal, 

 and in addition to the paw properly so called, there 

 is a long projecting membrane running from the tip 

 along the posterior margin to the base : they have 

 no vestige of nails. The hind flippers are rhom- 

 boidal in their shape, and consist of the usual fleshy 

 portion, and a membranous one, which at its termi- 

 nation is divided into five straps ; there are nails on 



Voyage towards the South Pole. London, 1825. 



t In noting the characters, we have enjoyed the valuable as- 



tance of our friend Mr William Jameson. 



S 



