279 



DOUBTFUL SEALS AND OTARIES. 



Ribbon- Seal. Phoca Fasciata, Shaw. 



IN addition to the Seals which are well ascertained, 

 Naturalists have been in the habit of giving a 

 list of those which have been indicated by some 

 respectable authority, but so slightly as still to re- 

 main doubtful. We now follow this example, com- 

 mencing with the Ribbon-Seal of Pennant. This 

 is characterized by a very short fine, glossy, bristly 

 hair, of a uniform colour, almost black, marked 

 along the sides, and towards the head and tail, with 

 a stripe of a pale yellow colour, exactly resembling 

 a ribbon laid on by art. The very curious form is 

 represented above, from a drawing communicated 

 by the celebrated Pallas to Mr Pennant. Of the 

 animal generally nothing is known, though it ap- 

 peared to be large. It was transmitted from one 

 of the remotest Kurile Islands. 



