658 - PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. [aNNO 1742-3. 



Some Account of the Phoca, F'iiulus marinus, or Sea- Calf * shown at Chaiing- 



cross, in Feb. 1742-3, By. Ja. Parsons, M.D. F.R.S. N° 469, p. 383. 



The figures of this animal, given by Aldrovandus, Johnston, and others, 

 being profiles, lead us into 2 errors ; 1st, they make a cubit in the fore-limb, 

 which is not visible in any shape, from the surface of the body ; and, 2dly, 

 make the posterior parts terminate in two fins, which on the contrary are really 

 webbed feet, like those of water-fowl, consisting of 5 toes, each having 3 arti- 

 culations, and ending with nails of a darkish colour. 



The nails of the fore-paws are very considerable, being like the paws of a 

 mole, contrived for crawling upon land, and partly for swimming, by a nar- 

 rower web between each toe ; but the hinder feet are extensive webs, serving 

 alone to drive or row the creature in the waters. 



Rondeletius, as cited by Gesner, blames Aristotle for saying this animal has 

 nails ; which is strange, as that historian is one of great reputation ; for it has 

 very considerable ones. 



The animal was a female ; and the viscera, examined after its death, were as 

 follows : 



The stomachs, intestines, bladder, kidneys, ureters, diaphragm, lungs, great 

 blood-vessels, and pudenda, were like those of a cow. The hairs of the whis- 

 kers are very horny and clear. The spleen was 2 feet long, 4 inches broad, 

 and very thin. The liver consisted of 6 lobes, each hanging as long and lank 

 as the spleen, with a very small gall-bladder. The heart was long and flabby 

 in its contexture in general ; having a large foramen ovale, and very great co- 

 lumnae carnosae. 



In the lower stomach were about 4 pounds weight of flinty pebbles, all sharp 

 and angular, as if the animal chose them of that form for cutting the food. 

 Probably this may be common to all the larger sea-animals, as they swallow 

 many considerable fishes whole, that after some maceration in the first sto- 

 mach, they may be more easily ground small by these pebbles in the other, for 

 the nourishment of the creature. 



The uterus is of the horned kind, each cornu being considerably thicker than 

 the body or duct leading to them : it is very fibrous, and the fibres seem all 

 longitudinal with the uterus and cornua, making a muscular appearance. The 

 ovaria are very large, being granulated on the surface with the ova, under a 

 very thin membrane ; and the opening into the tubes leading to the cornua is a 

 * great hole. A drawing of this part is annexed, as it is very remarkable. 



Dr. P. refers the Society to the under-mentioned authors for the other pro- 



• The species here described by Dr. Parsons is the Phoca barbata, Lin. Gmel. and the Great Seal 

 of Pennant. 



