372 MR. J. W. CLARK ON OTARIA URSINA. [Mar. 19, 



size and build between the male and female. It is the first time, 

 moreover, so far as I am aware, that a pair of any species of Otaria 

 has been obtained from the same locality at the same season of the 

 year, and also the first time that this particular species has been 

 seen in this country ; and I feel most grateful to the Company for 

 their generous present. 



The male is 5 feet 10 inches long, measured in a straight line from 

 the tip of the nose to the root of the tail. The general colour of the 

 pelage is a black inclining to grey ; and the hairs are 1 inch long. 

 A closer examination shows that the grey tint is due to the 

 presence of white hairs intermingled with the black ones. On the 

 neck, right across the whole superior surface, from the back of the 

 head to the shoulders, the hair is much coarser, and individual 

 hairs are exactly twice as long as on the back. There are a great 

 many more white hairs on this part. The hair is equally long 

 under the throat, but not along the sides of the neck. The shaggy 

 appearance presented by this part of the pelage in an animal no 

 older than our specimen gives an indication of what it must be 

 in full-grown or aged individuals, and fully accounts for the 

 "mane" so often described by the early voyagers. The muzzle is 

 of a light brown, with very short hair. There is a patch of light- 

 brown hair near the ear. The arm is destitute of hair near the 

 distal end of the radius and ulna. There is a patch of a slightly 

 rufous tinge behind it. A thick rufous under-fur covers the back, 

 neck, and sides of the body, but it nowhere extends further than 

 halfway down. The hair under the belly is thinner and shorter; 

 indeed it is extremely short on that part, and generally rather 

 lighter in colour than on the rest of the body, especially between 

 the hind legs. The enormous leDgth of the cartilaginous flaps 

 that project beyond the toes on the hind feet is characteristic of this 

 species, and has been already noted and figured by Allen. Exami- 

 nation of the skull shows that the occipital crest has not yet been 

 developed, and that the teeth are unworn. The canines have not 

 reached their full size. The epiphyses of the bones of the arm and 

 leg are still quite distinct. 



The female measures 3 feet along the same line as in the male. 

 The pelage is generally much closer and finer, and the under-fur 

 thicker, and longer in proportion to the hair. No white hairs are 

 admixed with the dark ones ; but these latter have light-yellow tips, 

 which become larger on the breast, so that that part is quite yellow. 

 The colour under the belly is rufous, edged with a band of a lighter 

 shade, which has a wavy outline, ascending higher just behind the 

 arm and in front of the hind leg. The rufous tint is darkest between 

 the fore legs. The skull shows that the animal is quite young, much 

 younger probably than the male — an unfortunate circumstance, as we 

 are unable to appreciate the difference in size between the sexes with 

 the accuracy that could be wished. It will be seen that this female 

 is just half the length of the male. Allen (t. c. p. 76) gives the 

 length of an adult male as from seven to eight feet, of an adult female 

 as four feet. 



