BOTTLE-NOSED SEAL. 2,69 



the two exterior of which are much larger than 

 the two middle ones : there are also two very large 

 but rather blunt canine-teeth, remote from the 

 cutting-teeth: and on each side are five small 

 conical grinders or molares. In the lower jaw 

 are only two very small cutting-teeth ; two large 

 canini like them in the upper jaw, and five grind- 

 ers on each side. The cutting-teeth themselves 

 resemble the shape of the canini in miniature. In 

 the British Museum is a tolerably well preserved 

 skin of a female, which formerly belonged to the 

 Museum of the Royal Society. This species in- 

 habits the seas about New Zealand, the island of 

 Juan Fernandez, and the Falkland islands. In 

 Juan Fernandez, during the breeding season, viz. 

 in June and July, they are seen in great numbers 

 suckling their young on the shore: they bring 

 two young at a birth : the females are observed to 

 be excessively fierce during the time of rearing 

 the young: towards evening both the male and 

 female swim out a little way to sea, the female 

 bearing the young on her back, which it is said the 

 male frequently pushes off, in order to oblige 

 them to exercise their swimming powers. On 

 the arrival of these animals on the breeding- 

 islands, they are said to be so excessively fat as 

 to resemble skins of oil; the tremulous motion of 

 the blubber being plainly perceivable beneath the 

 skin. A single animal has been known to yield 

 a butt of oil, and to be so full of blood that what 

 has run out has filled two hogsheads. The flesh 

 is eatable. Lord Anson's sailors eat it under the 



