30 



Dr. Hector on New-Zealand Eared Seals. 



the snout, whicli is short and not separated from the head ; 

 head round ; the eyes lateral ; ears with slender, pointed tu- 

 bular conch. Colour uniform black when wet, but when dry 

 rusty in the male and grizzled in the female ; scattered hairs 

 rising from the fur ; fur close, dense, and about half an inch 

 deep; tips of the fur bluish, middle parts chestnut-brown, 

 and pure white at base. 



Flippers marked with a few chaffy scales ; the anterior 

 flippers with small nails immersed on the first four digits, and 

 only a faint mark on th« fifth. Posterior flippers with strong 

 nails immersed on the three central digits, the first and fifth 

 being feeble. 



Table of Measurements, in inches. 



Total length 



Nose to ear 



,, angle of mouth 



„ eye 



Length of ear 



Width of nose 



Anterior flipper, length of exterior 



surface from shoulder-joint . . 

 Ditto, length of interior surface 



from axilla 



Posterior flij^per, length from hip 



joint 



Length of tail 



Male. Female. 



82 

 9 

 8 



4-5 

 1-8 

 1-7 



31 



17 



15 

 4 



80 

 8-5 

 7-8 

 4-5 

 1-7 

 1-7 



29 



16 



16 

 4 



Incisor teeth f^ those external in the upper jaw resembling 

 the canines in form and size ; the others small, and feebly 

 implanted in the jaw; canines very strong, and locking, 1*7 

 inch long ; molars simple, conical, compressed. 



One day the chase of five of these seals with the steam- 

 pinnace in the still waters of the sound afforded a most ex- 

 citing and novel kind of sport. The seals, startled by the 

 snorting of the little high -pressure engine, instead of taking 

 their usual dignified plunge out of sight, went off at full speed, 

 diving and reappearing in order to get a glimpse of the un- 

 natural monster that pursued them so closely. The utmost 

 speed we could make barely kept up with them, until they 

 began to show signs of distress, and one by one doubled and 

 dived under the boat. Two of them, however, held out for a 

 run of three miles, and succeeded at last in getting into safety 

 among the rocks on the opposite shore. As all the ammuni- 

 tion had been previously expended by the party, except some 



