Dr. J. lliitor on t/ip Xrir-Zealand Korvil Seal. 427 



Fitj. 28 a. Exterior portion of tubule, sliowiu|r radiating pores. 



Fiij. 24. Sin;,'le !*cale, broken aen»s.x, anil ."howing ridge in section. 



Fi(j. '2ii. I'ortioii of eniral proces.x from early stage. 



Fiy. 2'» Acicular scales from early stage. 



Fig. '21. Kiglit crunil ])rocess from earlv stage. 



Figx. 28, 29, ."W, .'{], .'{2, X\. Portions of "liipmal and neural valves of early 



stages, showing development of crura. 

 Figi*. 34, 35. Corresponding part.-? of adult, natural size. 



LI. — Xote.<i on the Xew-ZeaJand Eared Seal (Phoca ursina, 

 Forster-j Arctoccplialiis Forsteri, Gray). By Dr. James 

 Hector, F.K.S. 



(In a letter to Dr. J. E. Gray, F.R.S. &c.) 



I ENCLOSE a description of the skull of a full-grown male 

 seal taken in Milford Sound. 



Palate moderately coneave, narrowed in front, most ex- 



Sanded opposite to the la.st molars, and again contracted to a 

 eep posterior notch bounded by a truncate semicircular mar- 

 gin, the position of -which is opposite to the middle of the 



zygomatic arch. 



inches. 



Length of skull along base 9'6 



Length of palate 4-.5 



Width of palate at first molar 1-2 



„ „ at fifth molar 1-0 



„ „ at posterior notch 0-6 



Width at auditory bullae 5 



Width of jaw at zj-gomatic arch 6 



Length of lower jaw 6"8 



Width of lower jaw at condyles 5 



Lower jaw moderate, with a blunt hook-like process pro- 

 jecting on the inner side in front and below the condyles. 



In its short palate and Avliitc base of fur it is like Arcfo- 

 phoca Ilookeri. 



Captain Cook shot many of this same seal ; at least I never 

 heard that there are two kinds on the west coast, except the 

 mention made in Polach (sec Dieftenbach). 



JSfote. — On comparing Dr. Hector's description and measure- 

 ments of the skull with that of Arc fojdioca Hooker i, it appears 

 to be nearly related to and probably a species of the genus 

 Arctophoca. It diifers very essentially, in the measurements 

 of its parts, from that of Arctophoca Hookeri:, the skull is 

 rather shorter than the length of a not full-grown skull of 

 that species ; and the palate differs most essentially from it 

 in the width of the different parts. — J. E. Gray. 



