98 



MAMMALIA. 



in the liincl feet, the outer and inner toes are the longest, and the intermediate comparatively short. 

 Their fore feet are enveloped in the integuments of the hody as far as the vrrist, the hinder almost to 

 the heel ; between the latter is a short tail. The head of a Seal resembles that of a Dog ; and they 

 have the same intelligence and mild and expressive physiognomy. They are easily tamed, and become 

 much attached to their feeder. The tongue is smooth, and notched at the end, their stomach simple, 

 ccecum short, intestinal canal long, and tolerably regular. These animals subsist on fish, which they 

 alwavs devour in the water, and are enaoled to close their nostrils when diving, by means of a sort of 

 valve. As they remain long below the surface, it was supposed that the foramen ovale continued open 

 as in a fcetus, which is not the case : they have a large venous cavity, however, in their hver, which 

 assists them in diving, by rendering respiration less necessary to the motion of the blood. The 

 latter is very abundant and very dark. 



Analogous to Calocephala, The Seals, (properly so called, or without external ears), — 

 Have the incisors pointed; all their toes enjoy a certain degree of motion, and are terminated by 

 pointed nails placed on the edge of the connecting membrane. 



They may be divided according to the number of their incisors. In 



Calocephala, F. Cuv. [Phoca, as restricted], — 

 There are six above and four below. [The cheek-teeth have more than one root ; and besides the 

 main cutting point, there is on each an anterior smaller one, and two posterior. The brain is in this 

 division amply developed, and the intelligence proportionate.] 



Tlie common Seal (Pit. vitulina, Lin. ; Ph. littorea, Thiem.)— Common on the coast of Europe in vast herds, and 

 — ^ extending far to the north. The European seas, 



_ however, contain several Plioav, wliich have 



been long confounded, some of which are per- 

 haps varieties of the others ; as Ph. hispida, 

 Schreb. ; Ph. amiellata, Nills. ; Ph.fa'tida, Fabr., 

 &c. [Those of the British islands much require 

 elucidation.] A species more easily recog- 

 nized is 



The Harp Seal {Ph. groenlandica and oceanica, 

 Auct.), from the whole north of the globe. [Re- 

 markable for the difference in marking between 

 the adult male (fig. 37) and the female and 

 young ; length five feet. It pertains to the British 

 fauna, as does also the next species, according to 

 report, for which the Halicharus gristus, liovv- 

 ever, has been generally mistaken.] 



Bearded Seal {Ph. barbaia, Fabr.), a northern 



species, surpassing all the preceding ones in 



size, which is from seven to eight feet. Its 



moustaches are thicker and stronger than in the 



^. „. „ , , <- , others. [Several more are known from the north- 



Fig. 3/.— Creiniand Seal. '- 



em hemisphere.] 



The Sterrincks {Stenorhijnchus, F. Cuv.) — 

 Possess four incisors to each jaw, and cheek- 

 teeth deeply notched into three points (fig. 38), 

 [but with single roots : the muzzle slender and 

 much elongated ; and very small claws] . 



One only is known {Ph. leptonyx, Bl.), from the 

 Austral seas : size of the Bearded Seal. [An allied 

 species constitutes 



The Leptonyx {Leptonyx, Gray) — 

 The grinders of which are bluntly three-lobed, 

 the muzzle broad and rounded, and hind feet 

 clawless. 

 Otaria Wcddellii, Lesson.— Also from the South Seas], 



_y1SJ 



fig. .^S.— teeth of Stc 



