PHOCA. 179 



or scooped, widest part almost in line with last pair 

 of upper post-canines ; anterior nares not terminal. 

 Hind limbs directed backwards ; pelage hairy, no 

 fur; palms and soles hairy; astragalus with long 

 calcanear process. 



Subfamily I. PHOCIN^E. 



Anterior nares oblique, in front of infra-orbital foramen ; 

 beak a little prolonged in front of anterior nares ; 

 no post-orbital process ; inner wall of orbit entire or 

 almost entire ; interorbital part of frontal compressed 

 laterally ; widest part of hard palate behind molars ; 

 zygomatic process of maxilla slightly prolonged below 

 malar ; premaxilla articulating with nasal; pterygoids 

 vertical ; tympanic bullas swollen. Mandible with 

 angle and subcondyloid process. Nails strong; toes 

 of hind foot almost equally long. Humerus with 

 supracondyloid foramen. Females smaller than 



males. Dentition : in. ^ - , c. j , p.c. ^ c = •^'^• 



I. PHOCA. (Pho.) 



Phoca, LinncEUs, Syst. Nat. 



Anterior nares not high ; infra-orbital foramen opens 

 into floor of orbit. Tympanic swollen, smooth, with 

 oblique ridge. Dentition : post-canines with more 

 than one^cusp, fangs two-rooted, except in first post- 

 canine. 



(1) Phoca vitulina. (Pho. v.) 



(Common Hai-l)Our Seal, North Sea aud North Atlantic.) 



Phoca vitulina, Linnceus, Syst. Nat., 1758. 



Callocephalus vitulinus, F. Cuvier, Diet. Sci. Nat., xxxix., 



1826; G^xiy, Cat. Osteol. Brit. Museum, 1847; Seals, 



1850; Seals and Whales, 1874. 

 Selch, Scottish local name. 



Colour variable ; above, yellowish grey with dark 

 brown or black spots, streaks, or patches ; beneath, 

 yellowish white with small dark brown spots. 

 Young, at birth, whitish or yellowish white. 

 Length of male 5 to 6 feet. Vertebral formula 



