THE EARLESS SEAL FAMILY. 



231 



Seal, indeed, seems to be much the more discerning animal of the two ; for its actions bespoke a 

 knowledge of our not being Kangaroos, whereas the Kangaroo not unfrequeiitly appeared to consider 

 us to be Seals." 



It evidently is to Peron's animal, or one otherwise not to be distinguished from it, that the 

 naturalists of the Astrolabe, fully twenty yeai-s after, referred as the Phoque cendree frequenting Port 

 Western, Australia. This appeal's to be a distinct animal from others hitherto described, though so 

 little is positively known that I shall merely draw attention to its colour. It is grey on the back, lighter 

 on the muzzle, and rusty-grey on the lower parts of the body. It has sparse reddish under-fur, and 

 Clark states of the somewhat dilapidated skin preserved in the Paris Museum that it has a length of 

 between seven and eight feet. 



CHAPTER III. 

 III. THE EARLESS SEAL FAMILY (PHOCID^E). 



General Characteristics Peculiar Formation of the Hind Legs Dentition Swimming THE COMMON SEAL Range Fight 

 between a Seal and Salmon Colour Appearance Annual Catch Use of Skins in Greenland Habits THE RINGED 

 SEAL Appearance Various Names Odour Flesh Skin Clothes Haunts Modes of Capture Range THE GREEN- 

 LAND, or SADDLEBACK SEAL Habits Appearance Names Range Migrations " Seals' Weddings " Five Stages of 

 Colour Females "Weight Seal Fisheries Hunting Implements of Slaughter Various Operations The Sealers 

 Oil, Skins, &c. THE BEARDED SEAL THE GREY SEAL THE MONK SEAL THE CRESTED OR BLADDEH-NOSE SEAL 

 Range Size Ferocity Character of the so-called Crest Dentition Colour THE ELEPHANT SEAL Peculiar Range 

 Proboscis Scammon's Account Habits Hunting Hardships of the Hunters Recreations of the Men Blubber, Oil, 

 and Skins Ross's LARGE-EYED SEAL THE SEA LEOPARD WEDDELL'S SEAL THE CRAB-EATING SEAL Concluding 

 Remarks The Slaughter of Seals Remedies. 



THOUGH the want of external ears is quite characteristic of this family, in contradistinction to the 

 last, the fact of the Common Seals' limb-construction being such as to prevent them from using their 

 four feet on land is a point of special importance. 

 In the general shape of the body and the appear- 

 ance of the skin they resemble the Sea Lions 

 more than the Walrus. The fore limbs of the 

 Phocidse are relatively and absolutely shorter 

 than in the Otariidae. They are so attached to 

 the body as to leave little else free than the 

 hand. The nails are generally longish and claw- 

 like, and the thumb does not so greatly exceed 

 the other fingers as it does in the Otaries. It 

 is on the hind legs that the main distinction is 

 based. While the thigh-bones are uncommonly 

 short, the leg-bones are relatively long, and 

 directed backwards in a line with the spine, 

 and closely bound to the tail by membrane as far 

 as the heel itself. This mechanical arrangement 

 prevents the leg from being thrown forwards, and 

 therefore it is of no use in land progression. The 

 hind feet accordingly mostly rest in a line with 

 the axis of the body, and when spread out form 

 a kind of broad pair of oars ; or the soles approxi- 

 mated give a long rudder or fish-tail-like termination. The tail itself is quite conspicuous behind the 

 heels. The outer or great toe, and the inner or little toe, are almost of equal length, the preponder- 

 ance being in favour of the former, while the three middle toes are smaller in size, and the nails of 

 all are claw-like. The head in general is rounder than that of the Otaries, the eye is much larger and 



HIND FLIPPERS OF RINGED SEAL. (Original after Murie.) 

 A, opened out ; B, closed. 



