I 9 02.] Allen, North Pacific Phocida. 



from, and how it obtained its erroneous locality label, are 

 mysteries that will probably never be solved. As shown by 

 my figures of the specimen (/. c. t p. 580, fig. 45), the pre- 

 maxillae scarcely reach the nasals, instead of touching them 

 for a greater or less distance, as in all of the Pacific coast 

 specimens of the Phoca vitulina group available for examina- 

 tion (see postea, p. 471). We are thus fortunately able to 

 avoid the use of the very objectionable name antarcticus for 

 any of the North American species of Phoca. 



The next name in order of date is the Halicyon richardii of 

 Gray, 1864 (P. Z. S., 1864, pp. 28-31, figs, i and 4), based on 

 specimens from "Eraser's River and Vancouver Island." 

 Later (Cat. Seals and Whales, 1866, p. 301) these are said to 

 consist of a skeleton from Eraser's River and a skull "ob- 

 tained from the west coast of Vancouver's Island." Mr. J. W. 

 Clark, however, says (P. Z. S., 1873, p. 336) that Halicyon 

 richardii Gray was "described from a single skull from Van- 

 couver Island." Which of the skulls is figured is not stated. 

 The name is available for the Hair Seal of Vancouver Island 

 and neighboring coasts, and is the first name unequivocally 

 pertinent to any North Pacific seal of the Phoca vitulina 

 group. 



SEXUAL DIFFERENCES IN DENTITION IN PHOCA VITULINA. x 



Figs. 1-4. 



There are eleven skulls of Harbor Seals in the osteological 

 collection of the American Museum of Natural History, of 

 which ten have the sex indicated, the specimens having been 

 received at the Museum in the flesh from various menageries, 

 chiefly from the Central Park Menagerie and the Aquarium, 

 New York City. They are all 'young adults,' from unknown 

 localities, but presumably all are from the eastern coast of 

 the United States and probably mostly from the coast of 

 Maine. The sexed skulls embrace three males and seven 



1 In the absence of a series of authentic skulls of the true Phoca vitulina of Europe, 

 the name is here used only tentatively for the so-called Harbor Seal of the Atlantic 

 coast of North America. This seal certainly differs from any seals of the Pacific coast 

 of North America, and in all probability is separable from the Harbor Seal of Europe. 

 In case this proves to be as here conjectured, the name Phoca concolor Dekay, as said 

 above, will be available for the seal of the eastern coast of the United States. 



