THE NATURAL HISTORY COLLECTIONS 



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I. MAMMALIA." 



By G. E. H. BARRETT-HAMILTON, 



Capt. 5th Royal Irish Rifles. 

 (Plate I.) 



Introduction. — When it is considered how frequently sealing and 

 whaling vessels have visited the Antarctic seas, and how heavy has 

 been the toll levied upon the marine Mammalia of those regions, 

 it is astounding to find how little is really known of these animals. 

 Leaving out of the question the Elephant-Seal (Macrorhinus), whose 

 valuable commercial properties early made it the object of a pursuit 

 so keen that it seems to have been well-nigli wiped out of existence, 

 we find four species of true Seals represented in collections from 

 the Antarctic. These are the Crab-eating or White Seal (Lobodon 



* This report on the Antarctic Seals was written by Capt. Barrett-Hamilton 

 before his departure with his regiment for South Africa : it has been incorporated 

 in the ' Antarctic Manual for 1901 ' (pp. 209-224). Since that pubhcation 

 appeared, I have received corrected proofs from the author from South Africa, and 

 he has made a good many emendations and corrections ; so that his account of the 

 Seals, as here published, will be found to differ slightly from the report in the 

 ' Antarctic Manual.' 1 have received valuable assistance from my colleague, 

 Mr. R. I. Pocock, who uudertook to look over the proofs in Capt. Barrett-Hamilton's 

 absence. Mr. Pocock has been at great pains to supply some of the details which 

 the author's departure for the front had prevented him from completing. 



I have also added references to certain books which have ajjpeared since 

 Caj^. Barrett- Hamilton left England. He was only acquainted with Mr. Borchgre- 

 vink's paper in the Geographical Journal, and I have, therefore, added references, 

 as far as possible, to the latter's hook, 'First on the Antarctic Continent' (Newnes, 

 1901), and to Mr. Bernacchi's 'To the South Polar Regions' (Hurst and Blackett, 

 1901), in order to bring the synonyn)y up to date. I have also inserted a few blocks 

 kindly lent by the publishers of the above-mentioned volumes. — R. B. S. 



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