274 FUR SEAL OF COMMERCE. 



all the toes but the great one, those of the three 

 middle being much the largest, and quite straight ; 

 there is a curious slashing at the junction of the 

 common skin and the membrane, the skin covered 

 with hair descending to the nail, whilst the mem- 

 brane runs up between the toes more than an inch. 

 The coat or robe is composed of hair and^wr; the 

 former is very soft, smooth, and compact, of a 

 brownish-black colour towards the root, and a grey- 

 jsh white towards the tip; it extends considerably 

 beyond the fur, and gives the general colouring to 

 the hide ; the fur itself is of a uniform brownish- 

 white colour above, and of a somewhat deep-brown 

 beneath, and is quite wanting upon the extremities. 

 The colour of. the body is of a uniform lightish- 

 grey above, passing gradually underneath into a 

 reddish- white colour, which is deepest in the abdo- 

 minal region. The upper part of the extremities is 

 covered above with a very short brownish-black 

 hair, which, near the body, passes into the colour of 

 the back. The under portion of both extremities, 

 to the extent of two-thirds of the anterior, and 

 nearly the whole of the posterior, are naked, being 

 quite destitute of both hair and fur. The whiskers 

 are brownish-black, five rows being present ; the 

 hairs are simple and tapering : In one of the spe- 

 cimens there is a dark marking under the eyes. 

 We shall now subjoin the principal measurements 

 of the Edinburgh specimens, which were probably 

 young, or females. 



