OCEANIC MAMMALS 449 



Though Dr. Nelson (1916) wrote that "the scarcity of the 

 ribbon seal and its solitary habits will serve to safeguard it 

 from the destructive pursuit which endangers the existence of 

 some of its relatives," nevertheless there is a price on its head, 

 for its attractively marked skin caused the male to be especially 

 sought by the Eskimos, as formerly by fur traders, for use as 

 clothes-bags! "The skin is removed entire and then tanned, 

 the only opening left being a long slit in the abdomen, which is 

 provided with eyelet holes and a lacing string, thus making a 

 convenient water-proof bag to use in boat or dog-sledge trips" 

 (Nelson, 1916). Scammon says also that in former times the 

 Russian traders used it especially for covering trunks. Whether 

 it should or can be specially protected is a question, although 

 it seems unlikely that it will increase at all unless such measures 

 are taken. 



MEDITERRANEAN MONK SEAL 



MONACHUS MONACHUS (Hermann) 



Phoca monachus Hermann, Beschaftigungen Berlin. Ges. Naturf. Freunde, vol. 4, p. 

 501, pis. 12, 13, 1779 (Mediterranean Sea). 



SYNONYMS: Phoca albiventer Boddaert, Elenchus Anim., p. 170, 1785 (Adriatic Sea); 

 Phoca bicolor Shaw, General Zool., vol. 1, pt. 2, p. 254, 1800 (Adriatic seacoasts); 

 Phoca leucogaster Peron, Voy. aux Terres Austr., vol. 2, p. 47, footnote, 1817 

 (Nimes, France) ; Phoca hermannii Lesson, Diet. Classique d'Hist. Nat., vol. 13, p. 

 416, 1828 (Adriatic Sea) ; Monachus mediterraneus Nilsson, Kongl. Svenska Vet.- 

 Akad. Handl., Stockholm, for 1837, p. 235, 1838 (Adriatic Sea and Grecian Archi- 

 pelago); Heliophoca atlantica Gray, Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist., ser. 2, vol. 13, p. 202, 

 Mar. 1854 (Deserta Grande Island, Madeiras). 



FIGS. : Hermann, 1779, pis. 12, 13; Cabrera, 1914, col. pi. 11, opposite p. 215. 



The monk seals are characterized among the Phocidae by 

 the peculiar form of the skull, with the brain case about as long 

 as broad and the interorbital region long and parallel-sided 

 instead of tapering forward. The dentition is reduced in having 

 but two instead of three upper incisors on each side, as in the 

 lower jaw. The cheek teeth are five on each side in each jaw, 

 behind the canine, and are set at an angle with the long axis of 

 the skull, stout and bluntly conical, with a strongly developed 

 cingulum. The fore feet have well-developed claws, but those 

 of the hind feet are small. The genus is further peculiar in being 

 restricted to warm subtropical waters of the Northern Hemi- 

 sphere. Three species are known. 



The adult male is blackish gray, with ill-defined paler areas 

 on head and neck. The belly is white or tinged with yellow in 



