HOODED SEAL. 159 



the incisor teeth are reduced to two pairs in the upper, and to a 

 single pair in the lower jaw; the total number of teeth thus being 

 only thirty. The cheek-teeth, with the usual exception of the 

 last, are inserted in the jaws by a single root each ; and the 

 first and fifth toes of the hind-feet are much longer than the 

 three middle ones, and are provided with small rudimental 

 nails, while the webs connecting the toes project in the form of 

 lobes considerably beyond the extremities of the latter. On 

 the nose of the adult male is an inflatable sac lying beneath 

 the skin, capable of being dilated so as to form a kind of hood 

 extending backwards to cover the head. 



HOODED SEAL. CYSTOPHORA CRISTATA. 



Phoca cristata, Erxleben, Syst. Regne Animal, p. 590 (1777). 

 Cystophora cristata, Nilsson, Skandinav. Fauna, p. 327 (1820); 



Gray, Cat. Seals and Whales Brit. Mus. p. 41 (1866); 



Bell, British Quadrupeds, 2nd ed. p. 257 (1874). 

 Cystophora borealis, Nilsson, op. "/., p. 383 (1820). 

 Stemmatopus cristattis^ F. Cuvier, Diet. Sci. Nat. vol. xxxix. 



p. 551 (1826). 



Characters. In this, the only species of the genus, the general 

 colour of the fur of the upper-parts is dark grey, marked with 

 spots of a still deeper shade ; the under-parts being lighter and 

 uniform. Total length, from 7 to 10 feet. 



Distribution. This large and curious member of the Seal 

 family is an inhabitant of the colder regions of the North Atlantic, 

 although not extending to the extreme north, which probably 

 accounts for its not being circum-polar. Migratory in its habits, 

 occurring in South Greenland from April till June, and again 

 making its appearance in August, some few individuals straggle 

 as far south as Iceland and Northern Scandinavia, while still 

 more rarely others make their appearance now and then on the 



