35 



water is black on the head, back, tail, and upper part of the feet, 

 whilst the chest, sides, and belly, and the under portion of the neck, 

 tail, paws, and sides of the head, are of a yellowish light grey. When 

 it is dry, the black portions are not so deeply coloured, and the white 

 parts are more yellow. The skin is everywhere of a slaty colour. The 

 tail is three inches long, and without movement ; the eyes are large, 

 and the cornea is very flat in comparison with other quadrupeds ; two 

 hairs, similar to those of the lip. are seen above each eye ; the pupil 

 exactly resembles that of the domestic cat ; the nostrils are naturally 

 closed, and open only at the will of the animal ; the ear has no trace 

 of an external auricle ; the orifice of the auditory canal is situated 

 nearly opposite the tympanum. It sleeps during the live-long night, 

 and cannot be kept awake during the daV without the most unceasing 

 perseverance. During sleep it is often observed covered with the water 

 at the bottom of its trough, where of course it cannot breathe, and 

 there it continues for an hour at a time." 



The habits of the animals of this species in a state of nature are 

 similar to those of the crested Seals. 



Genus PHOCA, Linnaeus. 

 Incisors |r|, canines j:?, molars ^ rr 34. 



Incisor small, pointed ; molars, placed in an oblique position along 

 the jaws, moderately large-lobed, somewhat crowded ; anterior one of 

 each jaw with a single root, all the others double-rooted ; teeth of 

 moderate size ; whiskers small, waved ; muzzle with a distinct central 

 groove ; fingers gradually shortening from the first to the inner one, 

 the Leporine Seal excepted ; toes, inner and outer ones large, long, the 

 middle ones shorter ; claws large, conical, sharp ; habits similar to the 

 preceding genus. 



PHOCA viTULiNA, 2 Linnaeus. Common Seal. 

 Synonyms Callocephalu$ l vitulinus. 2 F. Cuvier, Gray, B. M. C., p. 20. 



Common Seal, Pennant. 



Phoque commune, Buffon. 



Sea-Calf, or Sea-Dog of Sailors. 



Meerhund, Zeehund, Seelhund, of the Germans, Dutch, 



and Danes. 



The Common Seal furnishes another example to those previously 

 given of the wide geographic range enjoyed by many animals of the 

 same species. By means of well authenticated specimens, it is ascer- 

 tained to inhabit nearly every coast washed by the cold, waters of the 

 Northern Seas, and it is moreover found in the salt sea of the isolated 

 Caspian, and, far distant from the ocean, in the fresh waters of the 



1 Ka\6s, beautiful, and ce<f>aA4 the head. 



2 Vltulimu, calf-like. 



