ORDER V. THE CARNIV^ORA. 209 



a position at tlic mouth of a cave, in wlurli I could hear tiic inmates haying 

 loudly, like large dogs. On making a noise from the hoat, several seals 

 passed out with great velocity, at the depth of about eight feet ; one I 

 struck with an oar, and another witli a harpoon, but not etttctually, as it 

 gave way after a short struggle. Learning from the failure, wo made ready 

 for the next, which I could distinctly see at the bottom, attentively watching 

 us, sometimes advancing, and again retreating. It seemed scared by the 

 harpoons, which the friend who aided mc and I held so deep in the water 

 as only to offer it room to pass. After a considerable time so spent, we 

 raised our weapons a little, when it made a start to escape, but in vain, as 

 both our harpoons struck it, mine penetrating even to its heart. It twisted 

 the shaft out of my hands, though between two and three inches in diame- 

 ter ; it then pulled out our boat to sea, and when compelled to come to, 

 then we fired four shots into it before it ceased violent exertions. The 

 cpiantity of blood was enormous, spreading to a great extent oNcr tlie sur- 

 face of the water. The weight of the animal, though in 2>oor condition, 

 must have been upwards of five iumdred pounds. Its skeleton measured 

 seven feet and two inches." 



Another notable fact in regard to this species is, that the females have four 

 mamma}, whereas the other seals have only two. 



Genus SxEXorjiYxcus. The generic name of this seal signifies iiarroic- 

 miizzlc, and was suggested by the peculiar form of the snout. ]\Ions. Fred. 

 Cuvier remarks in i-egard to it, "The head of this seal is all snout when 

 compared with the former genus." He also adds, as a further description, 

 "The teeth, too, are (]uite peculiar. There are four incisors in the iijjper 

 jaw iu place of six, and the molars, though the same in number, are rpiite 

 different in shape." 



iS. Lepfoinjx. — The Small-nailed Seal. Of the natural history of this 

 species, zolilogists appear to be in absolute ignorance, as not a single fact 

 has been recorded beyond the generic and specific descriptions. We can 

 therefore only sav, that the animal inhabits the southern oceans, and is 

 between seven and eight feet in length ; the nails of the flippers very short ; 

 the muzzle narrow ; the color on all the upper parts of the body is a dark, 

 yellowish-gray, more j-ellow on the sides, -jvliilst the under part of the body, 

 feet, and a portion immediately over the eyes, are of a pale, grayish-yellow. 



S. Weddcllii. — Leopard Seal. This species was discovered in the 

 Southern Ocean, by Captain Weddell, who captured several of the animals, 

 but unfortunately has recorded no facts bearing on their natural history. 

 They are between nine and ten feet long ; the neck long and tapering ; the 

 head small ; the body pale, grayish above, yellowish below, and back spotted 

 with pale white. 



Ko. VI. 27 



