258 LEPORINE SEAL. 



islands. The hair is short, glossy, and bristly, 

 and of an uniform blackish colour, but is marked 

 on the upper part by a yellow ribbon-like band, 

 so disposed as to represent, in some measure, the 

 outline of a saddle, and leaving a large included 

 space on the back. The head and legs were 

 wanting in this skin ; the middle part only having 

 been seen by Dr. Pallas, so that the size of the 

 animal is unknown ; but it is concluded to be a 

 very large species. 



LEPORINE SEAL. 



Phoca Leporina. P. wlkre suberecto, molli, allido. 

 Seal with white, soft, suberect fur. 

 Leporine Seal. Pennant Quadr. p. 277. 



THIS species exceeds the length of six feet, and 

 is a native of the seas about Iceland ; being found 

 from Spitsbergen to Tchutkinoss. In the sum- 

 mer months it is found in the white sea, ascend- 

 ing and descending rivers in quest of prey. Its 

 fur is soft, like that of a hare, growing nearly 

 upright, and is of a dull white-colour: the vi- 

 brissae or whiskers are long and thick : there are 

 four cutting-teeth above, and the same below, 

 and nails both on the fore and hind feet. 



