506 PROF. FLOWER ON PHOCA HISPIDA. [Juue 6, 



June 6, 1871. 

 George Busk, Esq., V.P., in the Chair. 



Prof. Owen, F.R.S., read the seventeenth of his series of Memoirs 

 on Dinornis, containing a description of the sternum and pelvis, with 

 an attempted restoration of the whole skeleton of Aptornis defossor. 



This paper will be published in the Society's 'Transactions.' 



Prof. Flower, F.R.S., read a paper on the so-called Risso's Dol- 

 phin {Delphinus rissoanus), based on an examination of two speci- 

 mens of this supposed species that had recently occurred on the 

 English coast*. Prof. Flower, after a thorough investigation of 

 this subject, came to the conclusion that the so-called Delphinus 

 rissoanus was specifically identical with the Delphinus griseus of 

 Cuvier, and that the species ought to stand as Grampus griseus. 



This paper will be published in the Society's 'Transactions.' 



The following papers were read : — 



1 . On the Occurrence of the Ringed or Marbled Seal (Phoca 

 hispida) on the coast of Norfolk, with Remarks on the 

 Synonymy of the Species. By W. H. Flower, F.R.S., 

 V.P.Z.S., &c. 



[Received June 5, 1871.] 



While engaged in preparing a catalogue of the animals of Norfolk 

 for the Norfolk and Norwich Naturalists' Society, Mr. Southwell 

 met with the skull of a Seal in the Norwich Museum, which, with 

 the permission of the authorities of the Museum, he submitted to 

 my examination for the purpose of identification and, if need he, 

 description, sending me the following history of the specimen : — 



" Mr. J. H. Gurney bought the Seal in the Norwich Fish-market, 

 and had the skull and skin preserved. When purchased it was in 

 the flesh, quite fresh and in perfect condition ; the fur was of a grey 

 colour. The person of whom he bought it told him it came from 

 some neighbouring part of the coast ; but the exact locality he does 

 not now remember. The date of its occurrence was some time pre- 

 vious to June 1846, probably in the spring of that year. It was 

 also examined in the flesh by the late Mr. Thomas Brightwell, of 

 Norwich ; but I cannot find any record of the occurrence. The skull 

 was presented to the Norwich Museum on Sept. 14, 1846, as the 

 cranium of the ' Marbled Seal.' " 



I am not able to learn whether the skin is at present in existence. 



As this skull belongs to a species which is not generally admitted 

 into the actual British fauna, it appears desirable that its characters 

 * Cf. V. Z. S. 1870. p. 128. 



