

COLLECTION OF MAMMALIA. 3iy 



and American otters. The most remarkable is 

 the sea-otter (mustela lustris] ; the black fur of 

 which has the eclat of velvet. The English and 

 Russians seek this animal in the northern parts 

 of the Pacific ocean, and sell its skin in China 

 and Japan. In the same and in the following 

 case are different varieties of dogs (i), and the 

 two species of European wolves. 



The fifth case contains thirteen species of 

 foxes. The black fox of North America, the blue 

 fox, and the isatis, are most sought for their 



fur. 



On the first shelf of the sixth case are the 



hyaenas ; one species of which (hycena picta] is 

 but lately known to naturalists; and travellers 

 formerly mentioned it by the name of the Hot- 

 tentot's hunting dog. 



Below the hyaenas arc the seals, amphibious 

 animals, whose different species have been vul- 

 garly called sea-calf, sea-lion, sea-elephant, etc. 

 Peron has formed his genus, otarius y of that with 

 projecting ears, and which is called the sea- 

 bear (2). On the cornice of the same case is the 



(1) The most beautiful of them all was presented to the Museum by 

 Baron Laugier. 



(2) The seals are mild and sagacious animals, and attach themselves 

 to man. Vide Peron's Voyage, vol. 11, page 3a ; and M. F. Cuvier's 

 Memoir in the Annals of the Museum, vol. xvn. 



