454 EXTINCT AND VANISHING MAMMALS 



ceived some years since from the late Count L. F. de Pourtales." 

 In 1883 one was captured near Habana, Cuba. No doubt the 

 Seal Keys, a little southwest of Turks Island, were a former 

 haunt. 



In December, 1886, Henry L. Ward, accompanied by Fer- 

 nando Ferrari-Perez (naturalist-in-chief of the Mexican Geo- 

 graphical and Exploring Commission), visited the Triangle 

 Keys, a group of low sandy islets to the west of Yucatan, where 

 seals had been reported. Bad weather prevented them from 

 staying more than three days, but they were successful in 

 finding the seals there "in considerable numbers" and killed 

 no less than 49, of which only 34 skins and seven skeletons 

 could be preserved. It was Ward's share of this spoil that 

 formed the basis of Dr. J. A. Allen's (1887) paper. These keys 

 seem to be the last stronghold of the species, but possibly a 

 few may be found elsewhere. Gaumer (1917) wrote that up to 

 1890 this seal was found in the Alacranes Islands and now and 

 then turned up on the neighboring coast of the peninsula. In 

 more recent years, however, the fishermen had not reported 

 seing seals in this group; but in January, 1911, some fishermen 

 had visited the Triangle Keys and killed about 200 seals, 

 leaving, as they said, "muy pocos vivos" (very few alive). In 

 1909, four, probably from there, were received by the New 

 York Aquarium (Townsend, 1909). Gaumer believes they 

 must have nearly exterminated the animals, yet it is likely 

 that a few may have escaped and that they may still resort 

 thither. As lately as March 15, 1922, one was killed near Key 

 West, Fla. (Townsend, 1923). Francis W. Taylor, president 

 of the Warren Fish Co., of Pensacola, Fla., wrote to Dr. 

 Harper in 1936 that on numerous occasions in the past fishing 

 vessels had brought these seals in to Pensacola alive. He 

 understands that they are now to be found only on the Eastern 

 Triangle Key, which has a protected bay inside, to which the 

 seals resort, so that one must land in order to discover them. 

 Here, he says, "the fishermen tell me that at one time there 

 was a tremendous colony of seals . . . but it is their 

 belief that the Mexicans have killed a great many, possibly all 

 of them, for their oil ... I know of no seals which have 

 been taken from the island in recent years ... In the 

 early part of 1915 our vessel the Seminole brought six of these 

 seals to Pensacola which were held in captivity here in one of 



