246 



PHOCIDJI. 



The body of the Common Seal is elongated, conical, 

 tapered from the chest to the tail ; the head rounded, 

 flattened : the upper lip thick and mobile, furnished 

 with strong undulated whiskers. The muzzle is rather 

 short; ears marked only by a small triangular lobe at 

 the anterior margin of the orifice ; eyes placed nearer 

 to the ears than to the muzzle, limbs very short, the 

 claws longer on the hind than on the fore paws. The 

 hair is stiff and shining, concealing a short soft under- 

 coat of woolly fur. The general colour is yellowish-grey, 

 with spots of black and brown, which unite on the back 

 and sides, so as to form a dark mottled grey ; the lower 

 parts are silvery. 



The adult animal attains a length of from three to 

 five feet, of which the head occupies from six to eight 

 inches. 



