MEDITERRANEAN SEAL. 255 



then of a mild disposition, though ferocious when 

 first taken. Mr. Pennant's figure seems to differ 



j 



considerably from BufFon's, which latter has a 

 much thicker neck, larger head, and shorter snout 

 in proportion. It was particularly fond of eels 

 and carp, with which it was fed during the time 

 of its captivity, and which were first rolled in 

 salt, in order to render them more agreeable to 

 the animal. 



MEDITERRANEAN SEAL. 



Phoca Monachus. P. capite inauriculatoi dentibus incisoribus utrius- 

 que maxilla quatuor, fa/mis incH-visit, plantii exungiuculatis . Lin. 

 Syst. Nat. Gmel. p. 64. 



Hermann act. nat. scrutat. Berol. ^ p. 456. /. 12, I 3. 



Earless Seal, with four cutting-teeth in each jaw, the fore feet 

 undivided, the hinder pinniform and without claws. 



Mediterranean Seal. Pennant Quadr. p. 273. 



THIS species has obtained the name of Mona- 

 chus, or cowled Seal, from the looseness or width 

 of the skin behind the neck, which, when the 

 animal is placed on its back, folds like a monk's 

 cowl. It inhabits the Mediterranean Sea, growing 

 to the length of more than eight feet. The head is 

 small: the neck longer than that of the common 

 Seal; the orifices of the ears not larger than a 

 pea: the hair short and rude: the colour dusky, 

 spotted with ash-colour : the toes on the fore feet 

 have nails, but the hind feet resemble fins, and 

 have no nails. This species seems to have been 



