262 



CARNIVORA. 

 PINNIPEDIA. 



PHOCIDiE. 



PIIOCID^. 



«llK' 



Genus Halich^rus (Nilsson, 1820). 



Generic Character. — Head flattened, muzzle deep, truncated. Brain-case 

 of skull small, nasal opening very large. Teeth, inc. \, molars |:|, conical, 

 simple, hardly tuberculated, only the last two in the upper jaw, and the last 

 one in the lower, with double roots. 



GREY SEAL. 



Halichcerus grypJms (Fabricius). 



Specific Character. — Yellowish -grey, lighter beneath, with dark grey spots 

 and blotches. Bony palate nearly transverse behind, slightly concave ; posterior 

 palatine foramena opening on palatines. 



PJioca gryphus, Fabricius, Skrift. Naturh. Selsk. I. 167 (1790), 



Halichcvrm griseus, Nilsson, Skand. Fauna (1820). 

 Haaf-fish of Orcadians, Tapvaist of Hebrideans. 



This large Seal was first described by Fabricius as 

 Phoca gryphus, and was generically separated by Prof. 

 Nilsson under the name of Halichcerus griseus. It is at 

 once distinguished from the true Phocee by the form of 

 its skull and molar teeth. The facial bones are very 



