722 MONACHUS ? TROPIC ALIS WEST INDIAN SEAL. 



ity ou tbe Florida coast, where lie says they occur " only once 

 or twice in a life-time", but alludes to their comparative abun- 

 dance on the coast of Yucatan, and their occasional occurrence 

 at the Bahama Islands. 



Mr. L. F. de Pourtales also informs me that there is a rock 

 on Salt Key Bank, near the Bahamas, called "Dog Eock", pre- 

 sumably from its having been formerly frequented by the Seals. 

 Also, that his pilot, in 1868-09, told him he had himself killed 

 Seals among the rocky islets of Salt Key Bank. 



I learn from Mr. S. W. Garman, who accompanied Mr. Agas- 

 siz during his dredging expedition in the Caribbean Sea, in 

 the United States Coast Survey steamer " Blake," during the 

 winter of 1877-78, that the Seal of those waters is well known 

 to the wreckers and turtle-hunters of that region, and that 

 they often kill them for their oil. He also informs me that 

 these animals had also been frequently seen and killed by 

 one of the ofiicers of the " Blake," especially about the Isle of 

 Pines, south of Cuba, and at the Alacranes, where, as already 

 noted, they occurred in such abundance at the time of Dam- 

 pier's visit in 1076 as to be extensively hunted for their oil. 

 They are also known to the whalers who visit these waters. 



The si^ecimens described by Messrs. Hill and Gosse were 

 taken at the Pedro Kays, off the southern coast of Jamaica, 

 where thirty years ago they appear to have occurred in consid- 

 erable numbers. 



On a " Chart of the Environs of Jamaica," published in 

 1774,* as well as on later maps of this region, are indicated 

 some islets off the Mosquito Coast, in about latitude 12 40', 

 which bear the name " Seal Kays," doubtless in reference to 

 the presence there of these animals. 



It therefore appears that the habitat of the West Indian 

 Seal extends from the northern coast of Yucatan northward 

 to the southern point of Florida, eastward to the Bahamas and 

 Jamaica, and southward along the Central American coast to 

 about latitude 12. Although known to have been once abun- 

 dant at some of these localities, it appears to have now well- 

 nigh reached extinction, and is doubtless to be found at only a 

 few of the least frequented islets in various portions of the 

 area above indicated. Being still well known to many of the 

 wreckers and turtle-hunters, it seems strange that it should 



' History of Jamaica, vol. i, facino- title-page. The work is anonymous, 

 but the authorship is attributed to Edward Loug. 



